Personally, I love playing games on calculators. I usually only play games very little and in classes where the teacher is not mean like my english teacher. The reason I am writing this post is because of games. I have a TI-83 and a graph link so I have many games on my hard drive and my calculator. Whenever I get a new game or something, some people always ask me for it. I am very fluent with the calculator so I think the next part is kind of funny. I dont do this anymore, but when I would give some people the games, they would ask me how to RUN the game. This is very sad and annoying. Half an hour later, they walk up to me saying that they accidentaly deleted the game so they ask for it again. One time a kid crashed his calculator blaming a (TI BASIC) game I gave him for the crash. For these reasons, I am not giving people games anymore.
-my $.02

Your crazy without games, why go to class?

Mind your own business, anyone can decide for themselves their study habits and make the decision to do good in class or not. And anyone who says that teachers will start to crack down on calc nation wide is full of bull because each individual school is different. If others are distracted by games, then they must be total losers because they dont make sound or anything like that. GET OFF OUR BACKS ABOUT IT AND QUIT WASTING TICALCS SERVER SPACE.

yeah!

1. Calculators are tools, and not designed for games? Let's see now, if I remember correctly the Z80 platform was extremly popular in the Tandy Color Computer Line, which was basically a cartridge based gaming system. The m68k was used in the Atari systems, and in early Mac computers. Yeah, those are game oriented too.
2. If you are bored in class, bring a book. THe calculator just wastes brain cells.
3. THis whole aurgument reminds me of the whole Walkman/Discman augument.
-Patrick

None of my teachers seem to have a problem with games. My algebra II & Trig. teacher saw me playing Zelda89 before class and he was amazed by the graphics, and over all quality of the game. That same math teacher trades games with students in his study hall!! One thing I don't like is that now I think every time he looks at me in class and I'm using my calculator he thinks I'm playing a game..which is not true. Occasionally I do play games when I should be studying for a test but, oh well, I deserve the grade I get then.
One more thing.. Personally I think that TI began to support assembly language programming because it got them sales. Without games on the calcs they sell, there's no way they'd be as popular as they are.
Well maybe one more thing. If anyone in here has taken the SAT test and has a TI-89 could you possibly email me. I would like to know if they let you use your calc, and what or if the check out the programs you have on it. Thanx

I have an 89, but i haven't taken the test yet, i will in march. I do know that they allow it to be used because right on the box it says "approved for the sat, but i would like to know if they clear your mem or anything.

They do, because when my brother had his 84+(SE) in school when he was taking a test, the teacher made him clear his ram, but he was smart enough to archive/group programmed shells and stuff like that. and that is a way to prevent that (and also use like pse or something so it looks like you are writing out calculations while highlighting and looking back at answers and when the chance is given to you do it. because the first day i brought my 84+ to school, my teacher (primarly math) was amazed and even though i have hade my 84 since dec 26 04 my mom still loves me playing calculator games and as far as My school/teachers go, I personally even ask my teacher of my past 6th grade year (now ended) my teacher and my best freind love calculator games.

Mayhaps it was a poor choice of forum to publish this article in. I my experience, nearly everyone who owns a TI-Graphing Calculator maintains a high GPA and does substantially well in math and science. I can only theororize on why this is. I've come up with this:

Face it, graphing calculators cost a ton of money. Unless the student who owns one is the type that gets everything they want (I'm not accusing anyone, and no offence is intended), then the person who baught the calculator must have an interest in securing their education.

The general oppinion of this forum would be that they should be allowed to play games because they do well in school. Perhaps you should have posted this article at TI in their newsletter (The on ethat goes out to teachers) and see your responces then.

-Phil K.
PaSTE

I disagree about the 'only spoiled rich kids get calcs' comment you made. It is true for lower grades, but not for higher ones. In my calculus class, a graphing calc is a REQUIREMENT (not just a suggested thing - a must have) Also, a new curriculum is in place that actually uses calcs (on the front of the text is an 83). Anyways, im rambling now...

If a teacher askes you to put a calculator away, then do it. However, just saying that games should not be played in class is an opinion, one with which I disagree. I don't think listing your GPA or where you go to school makes anyone's opinion any more valid. You knew when you posted your opinion, especially on a site with a sizable portion of its files devoted to games, that your opinion would be shot down.

There is a time for games and a time for tools, but I don't think you should determine which is which. That should be up to the person who owns the calculator.

What Shane wrote was good advice, and the guidelines which he gave were just that, GUIDELINES. If someone decides to play games during class, they are hurting no one but theirselves. If you are sitting through a lecture that really does not require your attention, then there is no harm in flipping on the calculator and getting in a few games of tetris. It is the job of the STUDENT to put away the calculator if their grades begin to drop, not the professor.

What Shane Burgess looks like things that don't need to be said: of course, students should never use a calculator when the class doesn't require it, nor play at any time.
Why was this question actually asked? I think teachers and students are both aware of the problem, and should therefore know exactly what is to do.

Well, for one I can tell your not a game programer, if you were you wouldn't be saying that... People don't need advise on when to use a calc, its commmon sense. Plus, if the person fails its their own fault... The teacher won't fail them just because they play games, its because they don't do their homework, pariticipate, do classwork , do well on tests or pay attention. Well thats my 2 cents.
(KSA)Tekken

Ok first I have to dissagree that calcs are "essential" for learning material. Beleave it or not there was a time not to long ago when there were no graphing calculators. I know some people who don't know how to do simple math (even simple graph plotting) with out there calc. I think students have become too dependent on there calcs to get them through math test ect.. There used to be a day when there were no graphing calcs to help with the SAT's. But now even with all the souped up calc the standards for the SAT's are much lower then when graphing calcs weren't allowed.

As for people justifying that oohh I got a 4.0 or a 105% in class so I can play games. Thats a bunch of bull $hit I don't care WTF your average is you are in class to learn. Beleave it or not even morons can get 4.0's. Some school have extreemly low standard on which they grade. Just because you have a 4.0 doesn't mean that you can't learn anything more because you know it all. Try being a student and take interest in what you are learning you may find out that it is more fun and interesting then playing calc games all the time.

Very well said!

First of all, let me warn you that this post is not explicitly about the current topic, but it does have to do with many of the inane comments which I have read so far. The United States has one of the worst, if not the worst, math and science curriculums out of all the industrial nations throughout the world, and you people are not helping this situation any. Instead of working your asses off to make yourselves better students and compensate for the country's inferior curriculum, you play calculator games during class and not only hurt yourselves, but the rest of the country as well. And as for you "geniuses" who claim you get these awesome grades, you're not off the hook. I don't disbelieve that you guys get good grades, but that's still not a valid excuse to play games during class, especially if you're in college. Everyone needs to put their best efforts forward to improve the image of the U.S. in terms of science and math knowledge. We are currently an embarrassment to the rest of the industrial world. Also, I don't claim myself to be a saint, either. I am just as guilty as the rest of you because I, too, play games during my college classes, but at least I have the maturity to admit my flaws, and not hide behind the shroud of a 4.0 GPA or anything like that. Finally, let me say that I realize that some of you are very intelligent and always put your best efforts into everything you do. You are the individuals that try to make this glorious country more respectable in comparison to the rest of the industrial world. I'm not writing to you guys. I'm writing to the rest of the lazy bastards who don't give a damn about their studies. You guys are a large part of the problem. In addition, the teachers also need to learn how to teach better, and some even need updated educations, but that's a totally different topic that I'd rather not go into right now. Feel free to comment on this and flame me to death. I don't give a damn. I just want you all to realize that our country is the laughing-stock of the rest of the civilized world in science and mathematics education. Thank you for your time.

Oh, yeah, I have one last comment. Concerning the topic of the article, I feel that calculators were made with one reason in mind, and one only: to aid in doing math--games are entirely secondary.

Have a nice night.

And computers were also made for computations, so we shouldn't play computer games. And TVs were made for watching, not for video games. Whatever.

I never said that we shouldn't play video games on our calculators. I'm just making the point that instead of mainly using the calcs as gameboy wannabes, we should use them primarily for the main reason they were developed: as tools to aid in doing math. Personally, I love playing games on my TI-83 and TI-89, but I also use them frequently to help me understand the topics in my math courses. If you mainly want a great portable gaming machine, spend your money on a $65-$80 Gameboy Color, like I did, instead of a $90-$200 calculator. I think of the gaming capabilities of my two calculators as great fringe benefits to the superior math capabilities of my calcs and nothing else. As I wrote before, gaming is entirely secondary.

I was wrong when I posted the article and wrote all of the stupid comments. I would like to apologize to all of the people I have offended. I must have been drunk or something. I have no problems with playing games in a boring class. Newer calculators were made for games as well as math. I was wrong and I am truly sorry.

Well, would the idiot that made this illegal post please come forward. Such use of someone's identity or impersonation thereof is against federal law. I would like to know who made this post because I didn't. Thank you.

Your god is dead and no one cares.