Did TICALC's news system just break or is it just me?

Why did the author want it removed? I don't understand that.

And did anyone else see TICalc's news section completely gone? I bet Nick will post something in reply to this, or maybe delete it, but o well, I had to let everyone know about that.

~Robert

We had some (minor) problems with the news section for a while. They should be taken care of by now.

I know this is sort of off topic, but this is the best place I could think of to put it. Anyway, I'm sure you all know about how TI has imposed all sorts of artificial limits to ASM capabilities, as well as often not using the most efficient code. I was thinking that it might be possible for all the TI-89 programmers to get together and write a full ROM for the calculator. I know DBA has already written a 3-d drawing thing that could probably be adapted to graphing easily enough, and this could be used, and maybe somebody could write a CAS...
Or maybe I'm just overly optimistic.

This is not possible right now because of TI's nasty encryption. But maybe we could get together and build our own calculator. I don't know how realistic that would be, but if it's possible, it might be allowed on AP tests, and then it might become a much better alternative to TIs.

maybe it would include the best of both the HPs and the TIs, and have new features, such as on-calc C(++) compiling and maybe a usb port, not to mention a TI emulator

if these sound farfetched, check the time stamp on this post and convert it to U.S. eastern daylight time (GMT-4:00)

and a color and touch screen (sort of like the casio graphing calculators and the sharp el-600)

I was actually trying to be serious. I calculator made by students would definitely be good. BTW: On-calc C compiling is already possible with Ontic.

But alas... no linking, therefore you have to wait until you get home, link, then upload. Kinda boring.

Oops. Sorry. I didn't know that.

If anyone remembers, TI made a handheld based on the TI calculator. It used the ZiLOG Z80 processor, and was one of the first sub 100 dollar palm tops. Unfortunately, TI failed with this endeavor just as they did with many others. They did not advertise the Avigo, and it became unknown by the masses. (You can still get an Avigo from TI, but only if you don't want the manual.)

But what if TI took a second shot at the palm market? The Motorla processor in the 89 could be used to drive this new handheld. For ease of discussion, lets call it the Avigo Plus. And with the pseudo-experience TI has received because of the 89, they might manage this new handheld better.

As far as I am concerned, the 89 IS a palm computer. So it's function has been specialized to serve one field. Big deal. Remove the keys, increase the LCD size, and flash it with a new OS. Presto! You have the Avigo Plus. I know I would buy it. If anyone else would, too, try talking to TI. Let them know they have a market.

And, if the 89 and Avigo Plus are similar enough, it should be quite easy for 89 assembly programmers to transfer their skills to the Avigo Plus. I hope.

Just checked the new news edit (or whatever) and saw Nick's apology. I only mention it because it's not something you see every day, unfortunatly (though I can't really say netwise).
Anyway, on a related note, I ended up not downloading the program yet because I don't know where it is. I know it's in the thread somewhere, but the point is it's I haven't bothered because it doesn't have a direct link. Not much of a point either, i know. But I guess I'm wondering "why did this happen?". It's weird that we can't be free and helpful and all those things on the internet, even among a group that is made by people who help each other with programs, and most are fans of open source and stuff like that. It actually makes me wonder if the world will ever make sense, but that is WAY OT. But it was nice to see Nick apologise and not by pissed of by what happend like I've seen so many times in life, even though I'm just 18!

If anybody gets my point, try to make it clearer for me, cause I don't really know why I'm writing this, I just feel I should.

Cd_Slayer

The program can still be downloaded at the web link above, although I feel that it is wrong to download it because of the circumstances. Well, it just seems that Lars got pretty pissed for a simple little reason (renaming a file, who would consider that offensive?). Anyways, we can't be free because everybody just thinks of themselves at first. It's the way the world works. Seriously, if there wasn't a download list, I wouldn't be programming for ticalc.org. I think everybody wants to get some kind of major recognition, and Lars just went to far with it. On the other side, the fight between Nick and Lars pretty much pushed this forward until the current situation was reached.

I know this doesn't make any sense, but I'm typing faster than I can think right now.

Either way, we must respect Lars decision, for he's the maker of the program (actually, more importantly, he's a person), even if it seems far-fetched to most of us. And I also lost myself ranting because a lot of atitudes still confuse me at my current age, like all the values that get switched, and people lost in the mist really, and that affects what the internet (TIcalc) and open source and stuff like that will become.

Cd_Slayer

I'd like to think you aren't programming for *only* ticalc.org and that we're just a means of distributing your program.

You program for everyone, not just us.

--BlueCalx

Of course. Only I don't upload my programs to other sites because I'm too lazy. :-)
I think a more precise way of saying this would be: I write programs that I upload onto ticalc.org.

Boycotting ticalc.org is something Lars just shouldn't do. If he wants to, of course you should respect that, and I think your apology is appropriate. But I don't see any reason why anyone would do that other than for personal "gain."

<<Boycotting ticalc.org is something Lars just shouldn't do. If he wants to, of course you should respect that, and I think your apology is appropriate. But I don't see any reason why anyone would do that other than for personal "gain.">>

We may not know all the facts behind Lars' decision. Also, I do not believe the decision was for "personal gain". We should be thankful that he took the time to develop such a great program.