A Glimpse through Time
Posted by Ryan on 7 June 2012, 01:15 GMT
My first exposure to programming was during my elementary school years, when
I discovered QBasic; as I
developed, I received exposure to other systems and languages. I began to know that, when I grew up, I
wanted to "be a programmer" so that I could create, solve problems, and have fun, all at the same
time. In young adulthood and beyond, I found that I had an interest in older hardware and,
consequently, the software designed to run on these systems. I can say in earnest that it was my
adoration for TI calculators that modeled this bridge for me.
Over the years, many expert and accomplished programmers have applied their skills to
programming calcs, for both work and amusement, creating the software that we have all come to
know and love. To this day, I still will not travel without a calc loaded with Phoenix for my pleasure.
Many of these programmers opened up to us with their own personal interests and knowledge, both
implicitly and explicitly. There is a lot of software that graces our archives here at ticalc.org
that gives a knowing nod to software that has served to, and still does, inspire. I remember when
I first encountered Vinegar, a CHIP-8/SCHIP interpreter that led my mind down avenues of learning that I otherwise would have not
encountered and, might I add, still impresses me to this day. I can express the sense of
contentment upon seeing that robotfindskitten had
found a home on the 83/84+ series. You can still talk to ELIZA, the TI-83 ASM
version being my first exposure to a realm of software that ultimately launched me on a path into
researching language analysis and theory. Any, hey, what's to stop you from rocking out with
nothing but a calc and some headphones?
If lacking in bleeding-edge graphics and state-of-the art hardware, our calculators have the
potential to connect us to the past in terms of culture, software, and historical curiousity, as
well as to the future. After all, there are some things that none
of us had ever dared to dream possible.
