It would also be really nice to see some major improvements to the way matrices are handled in general. If they could be manipulated similarly to how they are in packages like MATLAB, many of the functions I have written (mostly having to do with linear algebra applications) would be far simpler to implement.

I just wanted to say that I'm french and the problem we have is that we are, most of the time, not allowed to use a calculator in math exam when we are in college. So when I read the article I was like yeah that would be cool to be able to do that but wait I'll never get to use it cause you've pretty much have to do all the calculation by hand.
So I was wondering what was the poicy in other country because it may be the point here. I mean why make a calculator like that if it won't sell...

At Virginia Tech (US) we're not allowed to use calculators on math exams either, all the problems are designed so you do it by hand. But when you get into engineering you're expected to bve able to handle any problem, with a calulator. The 89 makes it nice because you don't have to remember all those integral tricks, or memorize the tables. I think someone said this already but it would be nice for the really nasty problems if the 89 would better handle infinte bounds on integrals, and be able to do Laplce and Fourier transmforms. Also for all of you that think the 89 is a piece of crap there have been many problems that the 89 will solve that Mathematica and Matlab won't. Most have to do with imaginary numbers and partial fractions (which is a big part of Electrical Engineering)

I scanned the messages, but didn't see anyone else mention this, so I thought I should. There is a nice program for the TI-89 that does Laplace and inverse Laplace transforms. It is available in the TI-89 Program Archive (the URL is in the webpage link up above, under my name) on the TI website. The Laplace program is in the math directory and is called Laplace89. There is documentation in txt and pdf form there as well. I've been using the program quite a lot in the past ten months, and I am quite impressed with it.

A program to do Fourier transforms is also available in the TI-89 Program Archive.

This is awsome! I didn't even know that TI had their own archive. I'd just like to let you know that the link doesn't work, because "http://" is automatically added in front.

"Awesome," i mean, of course. :-)

Sorry about the broken link there. I originally tried to place it in the body of the message, but it went over the 40 character limit.

dgw

As nice as many of these things would be on a hypothetical TI calculator, you have to think about TI as a company. It would take a very long time to develop such a calculator with only several of your additions. It would also cost a very large amount of money. This hypothetical calculator would only be benificial to a small percentage of TI users. So, when it was complete, it would cost far to much to be near economical, and as much as that small percentage would benifit from it, TI wouldn't make a profit out of it. Deep down, no company really gives a crap as long as it makes profit. TI "cares" only to attract costomers to buy products. Why? For profit. TI does however make, as everyone knows, Flash applications that they sell. I think it would be more realistic to pick out those assesories you want most and request that TI make an application like it. TI does listen to what its costomers want, but only to an extent. I do believe that a faster processor, and stuff like that is great, and TI comes out with stuff like this on its own. Most TI users, even those of the 89 only need a couple, if that, of those you described. This is why TI came out with Flash applications in the first place. If I'm sounding stupid or something just ignore it.

ya. what he said.

I got the ti-89...nice...however, i want faster processor...possibly a pentium class processor? more ram, at least 4-5 megs? external means of memory retreival? smart cards, etc. color active matrix display, 3d rendering graphics, additional more advanced algebraic stuff...have physics and chemistry stuff like periodic table, chem balancing, etc.

rubber keys
infrared
small speaker

thats all for now...

There's plenty of decent Perodic Tables and chemical equation balancers for the 89.

why don't you just put a qwerty keyboard on that sucker and call it a PDA?

First off, I'd rather see TI make their code faster than shell extra money because TI wanted to change processors. More RAM is unnecessary, too. It would probably end up slowing the calculator down, since it would have to search through the memory for a function. Who needs external memory? Color isn't a necessary, either. All it does is add $$ to the price of a calculator, and color doesn't really help you learn math that much. If TI would work a little more on the m68k, the 3d graphing could become much, much better. The CAS might become better overtime as they learn how to use the processor better. There're plenty of programs like those you mentioned in the archives here.

First, that's quite a bit of RAM you're wanting. What in the heck would you do with all that. Second, 3-D graphics and color are unnessisary for the functionality of the calculator. This is a mathematics tool. If you want these so bad, I think you should buy yourself a Game Boy.

A gameboy is nice, but a Ti calc is the ultimate platform. Sure it is more expensive, but all the games are free, everything is pretty much open source, and anyone can be a developer. The Ti community is much bigger than the gameboy community (if there is one) I mean, the gameboy is a great platform, dont get me wrong, but it just isn't as versatile as a Ti. Besides, how many teachers think you are working when you whip out a gameboy? }8^P

5 MB of RAM, color support, and 3-D graphics are not at all nessisary for the functonality of the calculator that being a mathematics tool, not a gaming platform. It is inevitable that TI will eventually develop a calculator with these capacities, though, so just wait a few years ... 5 MB is quite a jump though. I'm sure many people share your opinion, but TI is pretty stubborn about calculators being mathematics tools.

True, As I was thinking one day, I said to myself: "Look at my calculator. 10 Years ago, this was the suff of REALLY expensive, REALLY 'high end' computers." And then I said, "Look, my new computer had a relatively fast processor 1 year ago (350 Mhz, and actually last March), and now, prices for these are WAY down." I put 2 and 2 together: "In a few years, better technology will be here to power calcs, all we need to do is use what we got now."

Computers are good, not only for their power, but for upgradibility too. This is why they survive so long. Perhaps someday into the fufure, add-ons will be of such proportions (size, weight, cost, and HW limitations included) that calcs will be able to be upgraded.

Once again, on saying the word: 'calcs', I remind myself on just how far 'Calculators' have come, and believe me, they won't stop here.

Just to confirm, there is a GB programming community.

You're right. More features like the ones you mentioned would be nice. Unfortunately, they'd also raise the price a bit. Pentium-class processor! Sorry, but Pentiums are almost as large as the calc itself and suck up power. Unfortunately, they'd be almost as expensive as a normal graphing calculator is now. Sorry, but I don't think they're going to do this. Would be nice if they would. However, they could put in a more powerful processor. I've found one that would work.

They need to add simplification of trigonometric functions as well. For example, instead of showing

sin(x)/cos(x), the calculator should show tan(x). It would also be nice to be able to choose between exponential and root form, so x^(1/3) would display as qube root of x.

-Marco

uh...the AMS for the 89/92+ already does the trig simplifying...also, if you want an x root command it would have to be on a button to make it easier to use; otherwise, n^(1/x) is still easier to type in for the xth root of n

Another modest proposal:

Lets get rid of accounts.
What is the deal with accounts anyway!?

If some poor soul didnt really know about ticalc.org and stopped by once, and wanted to vote, he couldnt. He/she couldn't even post a comment about a program. Now, I think we should have a 'Guest' login for the occasional wandering vagrent with an opinion without him having to go through the hassle of creating an account to make 1 post and have his name here forever taking up space programs could fill! *PUFF PUFF* Sorry, run-on. Oops;fragment. Never mind.

I kind 0f see why the accounts are in place, to make sure noone votes twice, to make sure people who make purely negative comments/advertising on the boards are banned, but is that really a problem here?

Also, there is nowhere we can go and post random thoughts. I want to know if there is any progress on 3d lib demo( and other programs too!) but there is nowhere i can go to really post a free-lance comment or ask questions about programs/programming/people/ progress/help/announments/news or general questions. Instead i have to sneak the comments in long comments on a poll or news item. (HEHHEH)

There is always RFC but, if its not a big deal that's out of the picture.

Alas...
AND we dont get to pick our own passwords, forced to use arcane strings which Can be Composed of Combinations of Confusing Characters.(ALLITERATION!) Luckily i have mine on my TI as a string(The irony).

Anyway...
Random thoughts/dreams/proposals.

--R

you can change your password

I don't really see what the big deal here is. "some poor soul" could, when they got the request for a password click mere lines above that were it says "Need an account? Click here". It takes about 3 minutes to fill one out, and 10 seconds to log in each time. Yes, I do believe that it could be a slight problem if there were no accounts. Besides, it helps ticalc.org gather statistics about their visitors by other means than the surveys they have. (I think the latest is kinda dumb though)

Oh, I forgot, random thoughts are usually posted in the programming/program ideas/games. You can tell too when you try and load the enourmous thing. This, as far as I can tell, is generally accepted by ticalc.org visitors as the "free-lance" message-board. They should seperate it out by calculator but good luck telling this to ticalc.org. Ticalc.org really doesn't give a crap how far off topic your posts are. As for a pssword, just use a number you use a lot (I use my NRA number) it's a lot eaiser that way. Also, don't worry so much on your machanics.