Survey posted 2000-09-30 06:43 by Andy Selle.

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> Machine Code
> Assembly Language

Great for writing fast programs, but a pain in the @$$ to write and debug. This is why only 1 of my 50 programs is asm (VAPOR doesn't count).

>>> C/C++ <<<

The best programming language ever written. Of the two, I prefer C++; I don't need all its extra features but they can come in handy sometimes.

> Java

Thanks to AWT, I now firmly believe that C is better.

> LISP
> Perl

Never used them.

> TI-BASIC

Maybe the 89/92 version is better but I think TI-BASIC is the worst high-level programming language ever written. The lack of C-like function calls is very inconvenient when writing large programs. However, since BASIC is the only language that lets you use the more advanced math functions, and since I write mostly math program,

> Other

QBASIC and Pascal. Great for learning how to program, but not much else.

> I don't program.

I pity the poor fools who choose this option.

> I pity the poor fools that choose this option.

Remember, just because you don't program doesn't mean you _can't_ program. Maybe they just don't have the time. It doesn't mean they're stupid or anything.

y yes they r


I code in Asm a litte, for 86 mainly, can kinda for 89. I know BASIC for 8/5/6/9.
For comps I know some javascript,html(sorta counts),BASIC(I think, i have no
compiler any more so I can't be sure),and C++. O, and C for 89. C++ is BEST.

I know people who are significantly smarter than I am, and have never written a line of code in their life.

The ablity to program should not be a judege of one's intelligence.

I know people who are significantly smarter than I am, and have never written a line of code in their life.

The ablity to program should not be a judge of one's intelligence.

doesn't it seem rather ironic that this was posted twice?

The first version had an error in it (judge was spelled wrong). I didn't notice this until I clicked 'Post.' I hit the stop button in my web browser of choice, and then corrected the error, and posted again.

So :P

Its still funny

never heard of ti 8(j/k =) )

I wasn't referring to nonprogrammers in general but the nonprogrammers who have accounts at ticalc.org.

In that case, I wouldn't pity the fools; I'd throw my calculator manuals at them;)

This is a bit general, so it is hard to answer. There is a certain thrill to writing something for a calculator in assembly language. But coding in assembly all the time is not a very efficient use of one's time. I generally get the most done when using a mix of C and C++. Writing in straight C is ok when necessary, but using some C++ does have some advantages, such as being able to the STL (see www.stlport.org for the best implementation) and organize code/data better using classes. For web development, nothing beats PHP.

I don't program at all, but I've tried. And I know how hard it is. But personally, I think that the TI-86 needs some more great ASM Games. I love the ones that are out now, but I would, and all of my friends would love to see Zelda86 updated and maybe finished.

yes!! the 86 games are very outdated. a bunch of them just plain suck. but a lot of them are really good, but need to be updated. zelda86 definitely one of them. there should be a poll asking how many people want those games updated... heheheh.

<!-- whyisntit420 -->

Oh yeah, It would also be FANTASTIC if Phoenix had all the weopons on it that the 89 has. Maybe Program ideas would make a very interesting poll.

Remember, polls are multiple choice, not free answer.

That is what the program ideas board is for. It is like this, except it doesn't have the survey at the top. I don't know where it is, just that it is there.

Click the Programming link at the top, then click Program Ideas.

I chose Ti-Basic, cause i cant do assembly, i tried a few times in the past, and even made a few applets a few times, but, im better with the higher level math functions, due to the fact i write my own programs for trig.. so im stuck with ti-basic, unless of course someone wants to help me convert my math programs to assembly.. heheeasier said then done, i mkae my programs display every step of the problem on the screen (makes it easier to make it look like i actually did work on my homework) so it would be a bastard of a thing to program into assembly

Who programs in machine code?

It would be very inconvient. I don't know anyone who does, but all you would need is a list of the hex opcodes. You could just type those in, slowly. Calculating memory addresses for labels would be difficult.

It's not really that hard on the Z80 calcs.... For one thing, the Z80 chip is *very* simple.... Also, calculating memory addresses isn't that hard. Right now, I'm almost finished with a machine language prime number tester.... Tests numbers up to 2^32 in under a half second.... Unfortunately, at the moment you have to go into the program and type the number in in hex....

Other than being time consuming, I know it is not incredibly difficult to program in machine code. I just didn't know anyone actually did it!

Jared

Machine code wasn't always so easy. Not only is the Z80 a simple processor, you can type in hex right into the calculator. The early computers you had to toggle switches, entering codes in binary for hours; and when you had a bug it was hard to find. The TI-8x/9x make machine code look as easy as ASM.

Real Men program in machine code.

;)

Quoted straight from the Jargon File appendices

If you've got an 89/92+ and a Motorola Programmer's Manual, then writing machine code via Exec strings can be quite fun =)

For instance, Exec "4E714E750000" will execute a single NOP. 4E71 is NOP, 4E75 is RET, and all exec stings must end in 0000, a null word.

For added fun, any opcode in the format Axxx will generate a Line 1010 emulator error, and any opcode in the format Fxxx will generate a Line 1111 emulator error on any ROM version less than 2.05, and it can actually be used to make (slow!) ROM Calls on 2.05.

After this, you can work your way up to drawing lines on the LCD, and if you're really good, even writing TI-BASIC programs that can take input and use it to change the Exec string that is run to draw a horizontal line at different positions, based upon the input =)

For the truly masochistic, try doing this without the handy bound reference, or on the 86 using AsmProg/AsmComp. . .