Survey posted 2000-07-10 22:54 by Nick Disabato.

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This community is like a life cycle for programmers...

You get in between 12 and 14 or so when you get a calculator for school. You learn to program it in BASIC and stumble on a calc site. You learn asm, make a great contribution then are gone, with only your files as a reminder of you...

WOW! That's it exactly! How many times have we seem this happen?

errr, none?
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Cd_Slayer

... and you go on to start a sucessful career in programming! I wonder how many computer programmers got their start from a TI calculator, with help from wonderful sites like ticalc.org?

Most people who are good enough to write great calculator programs in assembly already have previous programming experience. I started programming in 5th grade, bought a TI-82 in 10th, but didn't start programming asm until I bought a TI-86 in 11th (TI-82 assembly shells didn't come out until end of my sophmore year in hs). Both my day and side jobs involve programming (mainly PHP), but those were more of a result of learning C and C++ several years before I started programming a calculator in assembly. However, I have learned many valuable skills and become a better programmer as a result of programming calcs.

I can honestly say that my programming skills in Vbasic, C++, HTML, and Javascript have improved thanks to practicing programming on my ti-86 and 89.

Yeah, I had been programming in other languages (interestingly enough) for a few years when I finally sat down to learn TI-82/83 and TI-85/86 BASIC. It's an unusual process to go about a programming language that's more simple than something I already know, like C++. Anyway, after a slow move into TI-82/83 assembly and only a few programs, I've pretty much stopped programming for the calculators and I rely on them for math - their intended use. I use computers and consoles for games and such.

How about you get a crappy calculator, you get a better one. You teach yourself basic and make programs to make your life easier. Then when the novelty wears off, you just download somebody elses.

i found about ticalc.org before i got a calculator. I wanted to first find out which calculator is

I really hope that those who are younger that 15 are visiting this site with the hopes of learning about how these marvels of modern engineering work, not just for games.

I agree. Too many people just buy a calculator, put some games on it, and think that because they know that you press the "Prgm" button to get to the games, they are a calculator genius.

such as me. i think making games (or any program) is a helluva-lot more fun than actually using them. whenever i first heard that games could be programmed on a calculator, probably alot most of you, were thinking about those cheezy blue TI-108s...i was amazed when i saw the TI-89 for the first time. now i own one, and the thrill isn't all that great anymore, but i still enjoy programming my BASIC games.

i am fifteen so... well, yes, i loathe those who exclusively game. i have games of course (breakout rules) but i am getting into ti-83+ basic. first i wrote a quadratic formula program (the first night i had it) and then deleted it and learned how to use getkey. eventually i want to learn asm even though i don't care about computer programming at all... i just like the calcs. somebody reply please! that would be cool.

Computer programming is fun. If you are really smart, you can make programs that communicate with your TI calculator. That way you are making calculator and computer programs at the same time.

I agree also. Yes I have games, too; but I have better things to do with my time than play Tetris all day. Saying "I beat Level 2 on SubHunt" doesn't really impress anyone. I'd rather learn the math and say "Yo, guys! I've just discoved cold fusion!"
-Sowby

Discovered Cold Fusion? hell, he lives 10 minutes down the road from me :) nice to get every version of Hearts and play it before everyone else.

i got 10,000 points on breakout. i had to play it three days in a row.


........anyone impressed? =)

I got my 86 because i saw that it could play games. (and the fact that my POS Casio just wasn't cutting it.)
I loaded it up with every game that interested me and got a day of popularity at school. Now that the novelty has worn off I have taken off all of the games.
(Right now it is probably shoved behind my computer desk collecting dust and it will probably stay there until school starts.)

I am 15. (14 back then.)

I believe that people who first get their calc usually dload their first game around 12 or 13. Actually bother to look at the source after they beat the game. Make simple programs that use the Disp, Pause, and ClrHome commands. Add if then statements. Use more variables. Attempt to learn asm and either learn Asm or get frustrated and don't learn asm. Then they make another attempt 3 years later when they find their calc under their bed and finally do or don't learn it. After about age 19, their calc has lived its entertainment life span.

Right now I am at the frustrated part of learning asm.

A lot of the people I've noticed just stop before the If/Then statements because they get PO'ed at the inferiority of the 83... then they move on to more useful things, like Mathematica... ;-P

oh, yeah, you live in the US! i had net since january, bleagh! games since 2 years ago, though. :)
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Cd_Slayer

Yeah, these americans have lived all their lifes with an Internet connection...

Only the Americans who are under 10 years of age... Widespread internet access did not even exist until the 90s.

that sounds about right. i was actually 13 when i got my 86. i didn't get my graph-link until i was 14 because my parents thought it was "really stupid to go to so much trouble just to sit at the computer all day downloading pointless programs that a bunch of loser geeks with nothing better to do than write programs for other loser geeks created to make those loser geeks that download the programs pay more attention to their calulators than their classes, which, in turn, causes lower GPA's....." now i'm 15. it's been a year since i got my calc. the euphoria of games on a calculator has been and gone. now the calc is sitting on my desk collecting dust until next school year when everyone will be wowed by the awesomeness of my gaming skills which have deteriorated into nothingness. <puff puff> i once attempted to undertand asm by looking at source codes and downloading Asm Studio and all that crap, but the concept constantly escaped me so i quit. now my life is committed to being bored by my best friend's preacher (i am NOT christian....) and listening to Weird AL Yancovic CD's. it's summer, what can i say? anyway, i think i am looking forward to finding my calculator under my bed when i am 19. i guess i'll try asm again and get stumped again and give it up again. i've said enough.

Is there any way of doing ASM Programming on a TI-81, or is it just not a possibility?

Not without a soldering iron and some REALLY good reverse engineering skills.

Even if you could write asm for the 81, what would be the point? Nobody else would use the program.

If you want to program in asm, buy an 89, or an 86, or at least an 83+.

btw, my former calculus teacher suggests that anyone who owns a TI-81 should paint it black so it will look like a good calculator.

Why not write ASM programs for the 81? Its the same idea as "Why program calculators at all when we would make money programming actual computers?". Lets not be closed minded about experimenting and investigating possibilities.

Might I point out the fact that the 81 has no link port, so there is no way to download programs or distribute them, so no way to get the asm programs onto the calculator.

Or, a better idea, perhaps. try duct taping a mp3 player on it, and have it play "Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones constantly. (:^)

That song rocks. Maybe I'll duct tape an MP3 to the 83+
and play Black Sabbath(wich also rocks)

i've tried to learn 83+ ASM twice, and gave up, I can't even get simple programs to work -_- . and most info i can find is about 83 ASM, which doesn't work.
=P

Love that Anime!