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A92: TI-92: Comments & Questions


Greetings.

Since this newsgroup seems to be frequented not only by knowledgeable 
TI-92 users but TI "suites" too, I thought I'd share some of my 
thoughts & questions on my TI-92.

I might first point out that I bought by TI-92 because I needed a 
"machine" (gadget? computer?) which would:
   + Allow me to take machine readable (i.e. ASCII) notes.
   + Handle such math problems that might be thrown at it.
   + Survive my frequent several mile after work jog's.

The TI-92 seemed perfect for this application and would have been if 
its text editor hadn't been merely a poorly thrown together after 
thought. Were it not for its "cut & paste" abilities, it would easily 
be one of the worst text editors ever. Lacking any means of getting 
from the top of a text file to the bottom other than by scrolling-- 
and at speeds which my 6502 based, 1mhz, circa 1980's, palmtop could 
easily match-- it is still extremely bad (much like this sentence 
<g>).

Question #1:
Does TI plan to remedy this deficiency in any way (perhaps via add on 
software ($$$) using the "Plus" ($$$) module) or is TI going to handle the 
problem the same as they did with their "Avigo". (FYI: Apparently the 
Avigo (sp?) also has a lousy text editor. TI's response has been to 
suggest, essentially, that: a. no one has complained, & b. that their 
extensive research indicated people liked lousy text editors. It 
should be pointed out that the foregoing were distilled from comments 
from one of TI's marketing guy's who was, presumably, trying to boast 
Avigo sales by pitching a few comments into one of the Palm top 
newsgroups. Any wonder why people don't generally like marketing guys? 
<g>) 

Now regarding the TI-92 and assembly language programming.

I'm quite handy with assembly language programming, though admittedly 
for a completely different microprocessor (8086). I might well be 
tempted to waste some of the few remaining moments of my life 
attempting to create a new editor for my calculator. I am, however, 
absolutely unwilling to waste my (remaining) time reverse engineering 
it. I see no reason why TI can make available for sale a technical 
reference manual for the TI-92 which supplies electrical & programming 
information for it. TI's factories & service center(s) must already 
have schematics & such for the TI-92 unless they simply assemble & 
repair these gadgets by chance. Similarly, unless it was created by 
luck, whoever wrote the software for the calculator must have had 
programming information for it. Why can't I/we have the same 
information?


Cordially,
Richard Kanarek

Document by WordStar
(Now THERE's a text editor! <g>)