Survey posted 2003-04-13 01:33 by Henrik.

Contribute ideas to surveys by sending a mail to survey@ticalc.org.

I understand why they are asking this, because of course it means more work and maybe more staff....?
I saw recently that the program of the month hasn't been running since Sept. 2000.....
Newsletter? What's that?

The program of the month could possibly be done by Joey and Morgan, since they deal with the files. Perhaps limit the programs to only ASM, no basic, which would drastically reduce the number of actual decent files to sort through. Also, I was not aware ticalc.org had a newsletter (Guess I haven't been here long enough), but if they did that would be a nice touch. I would certainly sign up, and I imagine many others would too. For example, it could have independent stuff done by a few volunteers such as reviewing programs for different calculators. It could also have short tidbits about new TI stuff, etc. Both would add alot to the site :)!

Gerhalt

You can see the ticalc.org newsletter archives here...
http://www.ticalc.org/ community/newsletter/

POTM...
http://www.ticalc.org/ community/awards/
As you can see, the only really hard part for the staff is to find a couple of good programs, and put them up for a vote.

As always, remove the spaces from the URLs.

I definitely think that the POTM should be resurrected. It was and could be a way for people to find _good_ programs more easily without having to search through 100 BASIC guessing and snake programs.

I only made one considerably good BASIC program. When I say good, I mean that I put over ten hours into it, and it actually was fun. It was tanks for the TI-82... it had different modes of play and even an AI (*everybody ooohs and ahhhs*). I made it for math class ;-) That's the problem with BASIC games. You have to be really creative to make a BASIC game that's actually FUN to play. That means it can't be a fast-action game, or a key-pressing-intensive game. I'd actually be interested to see some good BASIC programs because they are pretty rare. Most of us could probably guess which ASM programs would win already, just because either they're classics, or EVERYBODY has them.

Sounds kinda like a BASIC game I'd been writing for virtually every TI calc I'd ever had except the TI-81.. no clue how many hours I'd spent on it, but it was a lot. I'm rather biased, but I think it's a very good game.

Hey, do you have access to a TI-89 or 92+, or maybe just the ROMs? I'm looking for people who can program other AI strategies for my game. *indicates link* There's already 7 strategies in it, but more is always cool.

Aim? I've seen that game... the hill structures are more complicated than mine, but the 82 is more limited ;) Anyway, it looks nice :)

Thanks! Actually, I had most of that terrain stuff figured out when I wrote on the TI-85 (except the divots).. If you want, maybe you can help me port some of it. Umm.. we can discuss this via email so the board doesn't go too off topic.

I Agree... there are a few good basic programs (But, as no one 2000 stated they are very rare). However, it would be nice to have a panel of judges voting on ASM programs. For example, have about 3 people per calculator class (I.E. 3 for TI-83, 3 for TI-83+, 3 for TI-86, etc.) each reviewing between 4-10 nominated programs for their calc. They would rate it, write a brief description, then e-mail it to Joey. This would add a nice section to the newsletter, and have more PotM awards. And it works out nicely for everyone. Many people, including me :) would be willing to volunteer 1-4 hours a week (Or more) to do this. Anyway, gotta go!

Gerhalt

I think it would be better if we all voted for it... that way, everybody could do their part.

That was sort of what I was saying. But the point I was trying to make was that it would be hard to do PotM without doing it for almost all of the calcs. For example, I only own a 83 Plus, so it would not do me any good to see the 89 PotM. Well, actually I could gawk at the screenshots and wish I had one, but that is besides the point. Anyway, everyone should have fair say, but here's what I am suggesting. A "poll" page that stays up for approximately a month. Right before the month is over Joey and Morgan retire the poll, look at the vote count, and put up the PotM. The poll page could have one question for each specific calculator series in a format such as this:

Calculator Name: TI-83+
O Program Contestant 1
O Program Contestant 2
O Program Contestant 3
O Program Contestant 4
O Program Contestant 5
O Do Not Own This Calc

Each calc would have its own poll. Included in the Program Name would be a link to download it, look at the screen shots, etc. I really don't think this would take a whole lot of work, since it would only really need to be done at the start of every month (Taking down the old poll, announcing winners and runner-ups, and setting up the new month's poll). Overall, if they did it in a period of say 2-4 days total, then uploaded the new poll page, it would not take a lot of work. That way I believe it would work nicely for everyone. Please, feel free to comment :).

Gerhalt

There could even be an advice column..... I have no clue what a question would be, but it would be fun to see what people could whin about.

-W-

check the last poll, maybe "How do I impress girls with my calculator"

I knew about it and signed up because I thought I'd be interested. Unfortunately, that was right after they discontinued it. :-(

A file of the month would really be good, it would give it good exposure and allow for users to use some really good programs
A newsletter would also be good as it would let members see what is going on in the ti world!

I also realise that these features require more staff. Maybe a fortnightly or monthly newsletter.

The file of the month would also be good, I think. Especially since I haven't checked very many of the new programs lately.

I think the newsletter was monthly. And yes, POTM would be good to bring back... unfortunately, some people might create tons of accounts, just to vote for their own program again and again. :(

Really? I don't think that very many people would do that. We're all quite ethical (except Michael Vincent :)

It is um... "illegal" to have more than one account by the same user. All accounts would be deleted. Not to mention, it would have to be pretty creative to make enough names that were obviously different. Anything else might be suspicious. Although you could just write a program that uses DAWG's 40,000 word dictionary and just creates users that have the same password and the name is generated by this formula:

UserName = Rnd(Adjective)+Rnd(Noun)

Whatever language that is.

END TRANSMISSION

One idea is to have people who download the program rate it, and log their IP. They can't have too many of them. ;)

But then, what if they had a dynamic IP address? Most of us don't have a static one (I'd guess). But, that idea _could_ work, if my following question is answered the way I think it might be:

If you have a dynamic IP address, will the first three numbers always be the same? Is the last one the only one that changes? I think that's the only one that's ever changed for me.

actually, it's the last two that can. Think about it, if only the last one could, your ISP could only have less than 255 customers because they'd still have to have their servers and such...

Oh, so that allows somewhere around 65536 people on, with the last two numbers?

More than those on this site...by far!

Well I know, most of us wouldn't do that (including me), but I think I heard something about that... that people voted excessively for their own programs, but that could have been about something entirely different.

Logging the IP addresses could and most likely would work. Remember... you would have to create more e-mail addresses too. As I recall, you must activate your account through e-mail. So, that is way too much work just for someone to get their program voted for.

Gerhalt

They could use the same e-mail address for every account.

But then it could be traced and the multiple-voting cheater can be identified.

Yes, I haven't heard of the newsletter either, but I would also try to get it . As far as limiting the award to basic, that would kill me because I haven't got the ASM thing down. I still need help on it.

I partly agree with you. Only considering ASM programs, is saying that really it is Game of the Month. I do agree that basic games are for the most part a waste of time and calc memory. But other types of programs do not necessicarily need to be in ASM or even for calc. For example TIGCC is clearly deserving of any award. It is not in ASM. A great basic math program, as well could be very deserving of recognation.

VTI also needs to be recognized as a featured program...

Can a feautred program also make POTM? Is the only difference that the ticalc.org staff choose the feautured programs, and we choose the POTMs? There are a lot of programs in the Windows archives that need to be regonized.

True. Some of the programs have several editions in the ticalc archives. I know it would take some time, but the archives do need to be updated to show only the latest programs. Anyone else have an opinion?

d:-)

I agree, I find it rather silly and midly confusing when I say 3 vaguely different files with nearly exactly the same filenames and so on, as to witch version is the correct one. It deprives authors of what should/could be a download by confusing the user, forcing them to make another choice. Also there are way to many similiar programs and very old ones. The Archives are quite messy. However, considering the number of files still, it is not all that bad, but I think a lot of work could and should be done.

P.S. I am sorry if this comment is incoherent. I am feeling that way as of now.

END TRANSMISSION

> do agree that basic games are for the most part a waste of time and calc memory

I agree with you partially because there are sometimes some actually decent games.

But most BASIC games are based on speed or graphics, which can't be done very well. If it was a strategy game, it might work... but I think, if you got a really good idea for a game, it should be written (or at least attempted to be written) in ASM, since it would gain more popularity, AND it would be a lot better. As I said above, good BASIC games are rare :)

if you don't allow basic programs to be judged, you alienate the basic programmers (like me). Just let them go ahead and judge what they want.

I have to agree with this. BASIC programs, while generally less sophisticated than Assembly or C, shouldn't be left out of the picture simply because it is not programmed in assembly. I found it hard to take Program of the Month seriously.

I think one of the reasons POTM was cancelled in the first place because there was so much controversy over what people considered good or better. Whenever one program was nominated, fans of another good program complained.

My comment was made based of the majority of Basic programs out there. For example, in the TI-83 Plus section alone there are hundreds of basic programs. How many of them are actually well written and took some time to make? Probably closer to 30 or 40. My point was Basic programs are generally not as well written as ASM programs. This is because in ASM you actually invest many hours of time into your programs, not just taking 1 or 2 hours in math class to write. Altogether, I do agree that some Basic programs should be featured, but far less often than ASM. Well, gotta go!

Gerhalt

I invest a lot of time programming my stuff _because_ I can program it anywhere.. I'd be far less likely to do stuff on my calc if I had to write everything on the PC, then turn on the Graphlink and transmit it to the calc every time I want to edit a program, especially for minor changes.

Definitely. Both BASIC and ASM programs should be included in the POTM. More people will probably vote for the ASM programs anyway, but it is most fair to have both.

one way to do that would be to have the asm program with the most votes and the BASIC program with the most votes. Despite its name some things can be accomplished using BASIC that are very complex and are worthy of such a noble title. I'm not saying there are a lot of them but there are few golden programs written in BASIC

Yes i agree but if everyone were to want to cast a vote FAIRLY, they would have to at least download the program and run it. This still counts as a download, and dosen't that affect that millions group? (or is it the number of files they post?)

Well yeah, only vote for the categories that you know well. For example, I'm not going to go vote for something in the TI-85 category, because I've never touched one in my life.

I know, everybody could vote for their favorite program in each category.

82/basic/games/
82/asm/games
82/basic/math
[calcname]/[programming category]/[type]/[...]...
...

It would take a while, but I think it would be worth it. I would take the time.

D00ds...we need both of 'em back, now.

I actually realized that they stopped the newsletter when I subscribed to it about 3 months ago yet nothing came. Then I checked the site and realized that they stopped it waaaaayyy more than 3 months ago (about 3 years or something like that?). Then I cried and I cried for a long time. Then I got back up and played Minesweeper ;-)

7 seconds for beginner level on Minesweeper! beat that!

I think I'd rather have POTM over the newsletter, but if they're going to do both, that's great with me. I would be interested to see which programs would get the POTM award, and if I've played them or not.

Yeah, that's true, but 2 is better than 1! (except in quite a bit of racing and timed games, tho)

do you think BASIC progs should (sometimes) get a POTM award? i think that an elite few could, but overall not really (you see all these "RPGs" in Basic and they use little "x's" or regular characters for people, it's actually quite funny).

I thunk that there was an 86 math prog (Quadratic Toolbox 86) that got the Featured Program award. That's the only BASIC prog i've ever seen get that.

You mustn't forget "Wacky Fun Random Numbar Generator", featured for 73 and 86. Also, there have been several other BASIC progs that have been featured. Go look at the Featured page.

Was it featured just because Nick wrote it? There's a heck of a lot of BASIC number guessing programs out there...

I believe that certain Basic programs could get the POTM Award. It is not the quality of the programmer, it is the quality of the program. Figure it out.

What they need to do really is to send POTM through the newsletter and have a list of all the programs of that month, then have us here reply with what we think is the best. Hmm... no, that won't work, either.

Hmm... Innovative yes, but certain people do not like the annoying newsletter emailed to them when they don't want it. I want the newsletter, but I think of the public and ask them what they want.

A lot of the BASIC Rpg's are not that great because they don't require any strategy at all, and some do not have any real purpose whatsoever (as far as the concept(? story ?) goes. But I hit myself when I say that because of DUEL (that program is soooooooo old!).

Have you tried out Final Fantasy Alternative 1.07 for
the Ti-89? It's absolutely awesome, and it's in basic!
The story isn't all that great, but the actuall gameplay
is just great, for a Ti-Basic game. It's got good graphics, control, gameplay, and has lots of stuff to do. The only problem with it is, you have to archive just about all of it, cause it takes up a lot of space!

But I would definatly recomend this game, it's here at Ticalc.org...

If they could only bring back one, the newsletter would be nice.
Of course, both is always better.

If they could only bring back one then the _both_ option wouldn't really have a point now would it?

In the archives section, I think, you can read the old newsletters. They had them a long time ago, most likely before I came, so I can't say that I "remember them", but I've read most of them.