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Calculate! February 2005
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      P R E S E N T E D   B Y   C A L C G A M E S

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| _/ -_) '_ \ '_| || / _` | '_| || |  / / () | () |__ \
|_|\___|_.__/_|  \_,_\__,_|_|  \_, | /___\__/ \__/|___/
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     TABLE OF CONTENTS

...It's.a.Free.Community...............................
...Interviews.with.Patrick.Davidson.&.Michael.Vincent..
...Free.Software.Licenses.Summary......................
...Ask.the.Nerds.......................................
...Rather.Unknown.Feature.of.the.Month.................
...Letter.from.the.Editor..............................
...Saying.Goodbye.to.CalcGames.........................

     Newsletter Staff

Newsletter Editor:
   George Limpert <redux@calcgames.org>
Contributing Editors:
   Barrett Anderson <barrett@calcgames.org>
   Nikky Southerland <allynfolksjr@calcgames.org>
Also Contributing:
   Joe C. <thejccorp-helpme@yahoo.com>
   Stealth688 <Stealth688@aol.com>
   Rikeen Patel <RIKEEN29@aol.com>
   MLBr24 <MLBr24@att.net>
Special Thanks to:
   Michael Vincent <michael@radicalsoft.org>
   Patrick Davidson <pad@davnet.org>



----- It's a Free Community -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      by George Limpert <redux@calcgames.org>               |  
                                                            |     community is written by amateur programmers. Many of
A few years ago, the question was posed many times --       |     these programmers are high school students with little
will there ever be shareware on calculators? The answer     |     or no programming experience. Unfortunately, being
by the masses of the community was an emphatic no. The      |     confronted with assembly language is like throwing
idea was tossed around on message boards but never          |     someone with no clue about swimming into the deep end
taken that seriously. That was until developers at TI       |     of a pool. Sure, there's a lot of information available
had the same idea and implemented the necessary             |     to the beginning programmer, but actually understanding
technologies in the form of Flash applications. Free        |     that information and knowing where to begin is rather
software still dominates the community, but many            |     difficult. The documentation is often written from the
developers have become more and more protective of          |     perspective of someone who is familiar with the topic
their work. This has led to programmers refusing to         |     being discussed and doesn't think of it from the
allow major sites to host and distribute their work.        |     viewpoint of a novice. One of the best ways to learn
Furthermore, a large portion of the software in the         |     programming is through looking over source code written
community is distributed without source code. While it      |     by others.
isn't hard to see the views of many developers, there       |     
is a strong argument to be made for eliminating the         |     Many computer science programs in school are taught
use of restrictive software licenses.                       |     from an engineering perspective. While teaching
                                                            |     students programming techniques, these curriculums also
The notion of restricting free distribution of most         |     attempt to educate students in ethical behavior. One of
calculator software is impractical. Without resorting       |     the more commonly used ethical codes is that of IEEE.
to Flash applications, it is next to impossible to          |     One of the major points in this code is that an
prevent software from being sent from calculator to         |     engineer is expected to assist others in becoming
calculator with a simple link cable. If distribution is     |     better engineers. The same can be applied to the
that simple, and it's clearly impractical and nearly        |     community of calculator enthusiasts; programmers ought
impossible to enforce licensing restrictions in this        |     to assist other users who wish to learn programming.
environment, it is also silly to prohibit sites from        |     While not the only method, one of the best ways for
redistributing software, provided they have good intent     |     programmers to accomplish this is by releasing the
in doing so.                                                |     source code to their software.
                                                            |     
Many programmers write software for the purpose of          |     The community of calculator enthusiasts is entirely
solving a need they have. But when these developers         |     supported from within. Calculator programming isn't
choose to distribute their software, the only               |     taught in schools and corportations aren't flocking to
reasonable motive is so other people can use their          |     release development tools. There aren't authors writing
software. Keeping this in mind, restricting sites from      |     books on software development for calculators. The
distributing software seems counterproductive. While        |     community relies on its members to educate new users
some developers may do this with the intent of              |     and to keep the community afloat. Most programmers, if
receiving publicity, there is still the underlying          |     not all, benefit from free software distributed by
motive of benefitting the community as a whole.             |     other members of the community. Programmers and users
                                                            |     ought to feel a bit of an obligation to the community
Keeping with this theme, nearly all the software in the     |     that provides for them.



----- Interviews with Patrick Davidson & Michael ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----- Vincent --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      by George Limpert <redux@calcgames.org>               |
                                                            |
Contributions from:                                         |              ticalc.org (and of course also calcgames.org)
      Patrick Davidson <pad@davnet.org>                     |              to remove the file from their archives would
      Michael Vincent <michael@radicalsoft.org>             |              do much more to stop its distribution than any
                                                            |              copyright stuff ever would.
I had the pleasure of conducting not one but two            |     
interviews with prominent developers within the             |     George: Aside from the licenses we've already
community. Michael Vincent and Patrick Davidson both        |             discussed, there are a multitude of others,
took time out of their busy schedules to be interviewed     |             even within the TI community, that are less
on the topics of free software, software licensing, and     |             free. That is to say they take away certain
free software as they relate to calculators.                |             rights such as distributing the software or
                                                            |             modifying the software. In some cases,
Presented here is both interviews, starting with my         |             software released under these licenses includes
conversation with Patrick.                                  |             source, but prohibits creating derivative
                                                            |             works. What do you see as advantages of your
George: I know you're a prominent developer of free         |             license over these less free licenses?
        software, and you've released your software         |     
        into the public domain in the past but have         |     Patrick: Well, that one seems more clear.
        since chosen another (similar) license. Can you     |              If they can't create derivative works, then
        highlight the points of both the public domain      |              there won't be any derivative works, which
        and the license you've currently opted to use?      |              makes the software less useful since it can't
                                                            |              be used for making new stuff.
Patrick: The main point of public domain is simply the      |     
         absence of copyright, which means there are no     |     George: To some, that might not be a disadvantage.
         copyright restrictions on the work.  Public        |             There's been some unfortunate incidents of code
         domain may not always qualify as "free             |             theft in the past. Preventing derivative works
         software" by the GNU definition, in particular     |             also prevents code theft. What are your
         if you don't include the source code.              |             thoughts on this?
                                                            |     
         My own new license should have little              |     Patrick: well, what is "code theft" defined as, other
         practical difference, since even though it         |              than creating a derivative work without
         says the work is copyrighted, it also              |              permission?
         indicates that you can copy and modify with no     |     
         restrictions.  In the documentation there is a     |              Since I believe that allowing derivative works
         polite request to keep the software free but       |              is beneficial then the idea of "code theft"
         it's not stated as a requirement.                  |              doesn't worry me.  Though perhaps you meant
                                                            |              that people will copy the code without
George: What prompted you to switch away from releasing     |              acknowledging the original author.
        software to the public domain?                      |     
                                                            |     George: There have been some past reports of software
Patrick: well, some people argue that you can't             |             being redistributed unmodified except changes
         actually place something in public domain, but     |             to the title and credits.
         that it can only become PD when the copyright      |     
         expires, and perhaps more importantly, a much      |     Patrick: But if they are likely to do that, they will
         larger number of people are completely             |              do so even if the license terms tell them not
         ignorant as to what public domain means            |              to.
                                                            |     
George: That's very true. And current legislation is        |     George: Do you feel that there are benefits to the
        extending copyright lengths effectively             |             community if source code is distributed freely?
        preventing many works from entering the public      |             For example, do you feel this will be
        domain that would otherwise have done so.           |             beneficial by providing examples to beginning
        Anyway, there are many other free licenses          |             programmers?
        available such as the GPL, LGPL, BSD, MIT, and      |     
        Mozilla Public licenses. What factors caused        |     Patrick: Well, if they distribute with only titles and
        you to choose the license you did?                  |              credits changed, there's not much that can be
                                                            |              done to stop that other than getting web sites
Patrick: My main reasons for avoid other licenses (GPL      |              to remove it.  Even if you don't spread source
         and LGPL in particular) are practical rather       |              at all people can still change those things in
         than philosophical.  For one thing, very few       |              the binary.
         users of calculator games will ever even read      |     
         the GPL or LGPL, much less understand it.  I       |              Anyway, there should be benefits to the
         know that I didn't properly understand the GPL     |              community.  First of all in that it allows a
         the first time that I read it.  There are          |              greater variety of software, since anyone can
         quite a few specific requirements in the GPL       |              now make a new program without writing one
         that I think are very inappropriate for            |              from scratch.  And yes, it should also provide
         calculator games.  For one thing, it obliges       |              plenty of examples.  In fact, one of the most
         anyone who distributes the program to send a       |              common reasons I've seen given for not
         copy of the license along with it.  This seems     |              distributing source code is "it's such a mess
         to mean that if you're sending between             |              I don't want people to see it."  But of course
         calculators at school, for example, you also       |              I don't think that is the case for my own code
         have to send them the GPL text (or maybe hand      |     
         them a printed copy).  This is very                |     George: You mention messy code as a reason to not
         impractical since (depending on which              |             distribute source. Do you feel that poorly
         calculator you have) the GPL text alone may        |             commented source might be harmful to
         take up more than half of the calculator's         |             beginniners -- that is, if they're looking for
         memory.  Plus, who really expects school kids      |             help and find confusing code, it might
         to follow such a rule?                             |             discourage them?
                                                            |     
         A similar problem is the requirements for          |     Patrick: Maybe, but I don't think it is likely.  The 
         someone who distributes it as a binary to make     |              benefit of looking at someone's code is more
         source available.  Most of the school kids         |              in getting the ideas of how a large program
         don't even know what source code is so how can     |              goes together, not that you can learn every
         they follow these rules?                           |              last detail from it.  Short example programs
                                                            |              or documents would be better for the latter.
         For computer programs where everyone downloads     |              If someone sees the program is mess, one would
         from web sites it might be practical for these     |              hope that they jsut realize that program is
         rules to be followed (especially since, for a      |              confusing, but that if they program themselves
         site, allowing equivalent downloads of the         |              they could do it better if they wanted to.
         source is enough) but on the calculators,          |     
         user-to-user transmission is very common.          |     George: Richard Stallman is a rather famous supporter
         Of course, very few of the people who have a       |             and developer of free software. He believes
         "GPL" calculator program would know about          |             there is a right to see source code to software
         these GPL requirements.                            |             you execute. There is certainly an argument to
                                                            |             be made for this in an era when even respected
         But I don't think it's a good idea to say          |             companies distribute software with spyware and
         "let's make a bunch of complex license terms"      |             harmful payloads. This sort of thing does not
         and then simply not care if people follow          |             have a history of happening on calculators,
         them.  If you don't care if people follow the      |             however. Do you feel that this argument for
         terms, I don't see any point in having them.       |             open source still has any relevance when
                                                            |             applied to calculators?
George: Those are all excellent points. But what about      |     
        another important part of the GPL -- a strong       |     Patrick: I'm not quite sure it was really well
        copyleft restriction? That is to say that if        |              established that it's a right to begin with.
        you modify the software or make a derivative        |              It certainly is beneficial, and since it costs
        work from it, that the additional work must         |              nothing extra to give people the source code,
        also be released under the GPL? What is your        |              there seems not to be much reason not to.
        opinion of copyleft?                                |     
                                                            |              The original justifications from Stallman
Patrick: That's definitely a harder question. :)            |              was not that making source available stops
         I'm actually not completely sure about whether     |              malware, though.  Malware certainly could
         copyleft is in general the best way to go.         |              become an issue on calculator, but here again,
         Though I tend to think it isn't when it comes      |              I think it would be most effective just to get
         to calculators.                                    |              it removed from the main sites.  The average
                                                            |              user wouldn't be able to examine source for
         Even if I wrote my own (much simpler) copyleft     |              malicious features anyway.
         that exempted binary copies between                |     
         calculators from its restrictions, it would        |     George: What benefits, if any, have you received from
         still not necessarily always be followed.          |             releasing your source code and software under
                                                            |             a free (as in speech) license?
         So the question is ... do I really want to try     |     
         to use copyright restrictions against non-free     |     Patrick: millions of adoring fans, of course :)
         derivative versions?                               |              After all, imitation is the sincerest form
                                                            |              of flattery, and just look how many "phoenix
         As I said above, I don't believe there is any      |              variations" are on ticalc.org!
         point in putting in a copyright restriction        |     
         unless I actually intend to demand people          |     George: Very true. What advice would you have for those
         follow it.  From a practical standpoint I          |             considering releasing software under a free
         think that by allowing more choices of             |             license?
         software to be out there, there's more benefit     |     
         than harm if someone does in fact make a           |     Patrick: just do it!  (but not in GPL for the reasons
         non-free derivative version.  There is still a     |              I've already mentioned).  More specifically,
         request (not a demand) to keep it free in the      |              there's no problems that will come as a result
         manual.                                            |              I certainly haven't had any problems from it,
                                                            |              but it has allowed not only adapted versions,
         In the case of PC software, there are more         |              but also allowed some people to learn from it.
         advantages to copyleft, since there is a           |     
         significant chance a proprietary software          |     George: Those are good points. And you've made a lot of
         company would try to base one of its products      |             interesting points tonight -- certainly one of
         on your free software, and copyleft would at       |             the best interviews I've had the privilege of
         least make sure you can get them to pay you        |             being a part of. I'd like to thank you for
         for permission to do so.                           |             taking the time out of your evening to talk
                                                            |             with me. I'm sure the rest of CalcGames' staff
         Getting back to calculator programs, I don't       |             and the readers thank you as well.
         think there's much chance I'll ever sue anyone     |     
         over any calculator game anyway.  If I ever        |     Patrick made some very interesting points about
         want to stop the distribution of a derivative      |     software licensing and takes his choice of license very
         program that I don't like, politely asking         |     seriously. It's a very thought provoking interview.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I talked with Michael, I wasn't as interested in       |             functions. What about poorly commented code,
discussing the specifics of the licenses as I was in        |             which is an unfortunate habit among many
inquiring about the consequences of releasing source        |             programmers? Do you still see a benefit to
code to software. This interview focuses on a slightly      |             releasing source to these programs?
different aspect of free software.                          |     
                                                            |     Michael: It still doesn't hurt anything. If it's useful
George: Well, to start this off, what license(s) do you     |              to even one person, then it's been a benefit.
        release your software under, and what are the       |              So yes, release the source.
        main points of these licenses?                      |     
                                                            |     George: Richard Stallman, of the FSF, has stated he
Michael: to spice up things a bit. The GPL provides for     |             believes there's a right to see the source code
         the inclusion of the source code with all          |             one runs on their computer. This argument has
         distributions of my programs. Essentially,         |             even more weight today in an era of spyware
         anyone can then modify and release a program,      |             and viruses. Such ill-behaved programs have not
         provided they keep my copyright notices intact     |             been a problem on calculators. Do you feel
         and include the source code. With Krolypto's       |             there is such a right to be able to see source
         BSD license, you can use the Krolypto source       |             code to software, however?
         code in programs without being required to         |     
         share your source code as well. It's more          |     Michael: Absolutely not. There's no such "right". If
         lenient than GPL is.                               |              you don't like the software, then you don't
                                                            |              use it. I'm not one of those radical
George: There's many free software licenses available       |              "everything should be open and free" people.
        including the GPL, LGPL, BSD, MIT, Mozilla          |              When you download software, you are implying
        Public, and other licenses. What has caused         |              that you agree with it. If someone wants to
        you to choose the GPL and BSD licenses?             |              see all the source code for every program on
                                                            |              his computer, then that person wouldn't
Michael: Sadly enough, I have to answer name                |              download Microsoft products. Stick to free
         recognition. Hopefully everyone has heard of       |              software then. It bothers me when people use
         the GPL, although the BSD license is less          |              binary-only software and then cry that they
         known. I didn't see how I could possibly go        |              have a right to demand that a company furnish
         wrong by choosing them, as they provided           |              them with the source code. It just seems
         enough copyright protection to satisfy me as a     |              ridiculous. Source code is a choice - it can't
         programmer.                                        |              be a right.
                                                            |     
George: Moving along, there's many licenses used that       |     George: Have you experienced any benefits from
        aren't quite as free. For example, they might       |             releasing your software under a free license?
        restrict your rights to modify the software, or     |     
        you might not even receive the source. Some         |     Michael: I have had one or two people find bugs in
        authors object to their works being                 |              Omnicalc and then attempt to show me where in
        redistributed, even. What made you choose a         |              the source the problem is. But overall, my
        freer license?                                      |              benefit has been the satisfaction of seeing
                                                            |              people tinker with it and write their own
Michael: Calculator programs are in an unusual market       |              hacks for the TI-OS.
         in that most people learn assembly by studying     |     
         other programs. There is also nearly zero          |     George: Would it be fair to say you feel the greatest
         profit potential for calculator software.          |             benefit of releasing source code is the
         Thus, it seemed quite logical to me to use a       |             improvement of the community, and that someone
         free license. I ask: Why not use a free            |             might learn from code you release and write
         license? I don't see compelling reasons.           |             software that's useful to you?
                                                            |     
George: Unfortunately, there's been incidents of code       |     Michael: Yes I would. As I stated, the primary benefit
        theft in the past. This is one reason offered       |              for me has been personal satisfaction. The
        to not distribute source code, or to choose a       |              community's improvement is far greater,
        less free license. Do you feel this is an           |              however, as other people can learn and expand
        issue?                                              |              upon my work. As far as other software being
                                                            |              useful to me, I have to admit that I'm not an
Michael: Not a significant one. It is true that             |              end-user of calculators anymore; I just keep
         releasing your source code makes source code       |              mine for programming. Yes, in theory the
         theft easier. But it does not make it right.       |              programmer should see dividends of his work
         By that same argument, we shouldn't sell CD-RW     |              returned to him through other people's
         drives because they make music 'theft' easy.       |              software. It just doesn't always work that
         As long as you still hold the copyright over       |              way.
         your program, you are protected against code       |     
         theft. I will concede though that in some          |     George: What advice would you have for people
         cases you might have trouble getting people to     |             considering releasing software under a free as
         respect your copyrights.                           |             in speech license and including the source
                                                            |             code?
George: You mention that programmers learn assembly         |     
        language by studying other programs. A large        |     Michael: Do it! For calculators, you have nearly
        program, however, is likely to be complex and       |              nothing to lose and the stakes are quite low.
        difficult for a beginning programmer to             |              It won't harm you and if you develop
        understand. Do you feel there is still a            |              irrational phobias of code theft, you can
        benefit to the source code being publicly           |              always revert for future projects. If you're
        available?                                          |              nervous, look at Patrick Davidson. He takes
                                                            |              open source to an extreme, in fact
Michael: Yes. Even the largest programs are usually         |              relinquishing all copyrights to his work and
         logical chunks of routines. For example, if        |              placing it in the public domain. Yet he is
         you wish to study Cabamap, you can examine         |              still hailed as one of the best Z80
         only the multiplication routine and only have      |              programmers ever.
         to know the functions of a few other routines.     |     
         You wouldn't, for example, have to study the       |     George: Okay. Thanks for your thoughts on free software
         insanely complicated division routine to see       |             and open source in calculators. It's been a
         how multiplication works. People also call         |             very interesting and thought-provoking
         Omnicalc complex and yet I know many people        |             interview.
         who have implemented all sorts of hacks into       |     
         it.                                                |     In my time as a news editor at various calculator
                                                            |     sites, I had the pleasure of conducting interviews with
George: That's a good point. It relies on one thing         |     several of the best minds and most influential people
        that you assume -- the program is                   |     in the community. I can't think of any interviews,
        well-commented, so people know which routines       |     however, that match up to these. Many thanks are owed
        are where and what chunks of code serve what        |     to Michael Vincent and Patrick Davidson for their time
                                                            |     and thoughts on these issues.

----- Free Software Licenses Summary -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      by George Limpert <redux@calcgames.org>               |
                                                            |
Anyone who is familiar with the open source movement is     |     restriction is the Mozilla Public License (MPL) which
probably familiar with acronyms such as GPL, LGPL, BSD,     |     was created by the Mozilla Organization. With the GPL
MIT, and many others. While some of these acronyms have     |     and LGPL, incorporating source code from programs
other meanings, they also refer to software licenses.       |     requires the entire program be released under the
It's often confusing to programmers what each license       |     license. The MPL, however, requires only files that
is and what restrictions the license entails. Hopefully     |     contain source code that was originally under the MPL
this article will make the picture a little clearer.        |     to be made available. This means that portions of a
                                                            |     project may use source code from software licensed
To be considered a free license, the software should        |     under the MPL while other portions of the same project
include source code, grant the user the right to modify     |     may be proprietary. Also, the MPL only requires source
and redistribute the source code, and give all users        |     code to be made available for one year.
these rights even if they are commercial users. While       |     
all truly free licenses have these elements, there are      |     The MIT and BSD licenses are effectively the same
still substantial differences.                              |     license. They do not contain a copyleft restriction,
                                                            |     although they place some restrictions. Source code from
The main differences between the various licenses is        |     BSD licensed software, even when modified must have the
the degree of copyleft restrictions. Copyleft is            |     copyright notice. Also, the names of people and
intentionally similar to the word "copyright" and           |     organizations that contributed to BSD licensed software
actually relies on copyright laws to be effective. The      |     may not be used to promote derived works.
principle of copyleft is that not only is the original      |     
work free, but all modified works must also remain          |     Older versions of the BSD license also included a
free.                                                       |     notice requiring that executable software including
                                                            |     source code from BSD licensed software display a
A rather strong copyleft license is the GNU General         |     copyright notice. A few years ago, this requirement was
Public License (GPL). This requires users distributing      |     removed from the BSD license.
executable versions of the software to also make the        |     
source code available to users upon request for three       |     The main feature of the MIT and BSD licenses is that
years. The only fee one may place on distributing the       |     source code from software released under these licenses
source code is the fee for the media the source code is     |     may be incorporated into proprietary software without
distributed on. This means that if the source code is       |     releasing any source code.
distributed on CD, the only fee allowed is the price of     |     
a CD. The GPL requires that users receive a copy of the     |     Many other free software licenses exist with different
GPL along with the actual software. Like all free           |     restrictions to meet the unique needs and desires of
software licenses, the GPL permits the software to be       |     developers. If there isn't a free software license with
modified and redistributed. All derived works, however,     |     the terms and conditions you want, you can always
must also be released under the GPL.                        |     create your own. This is done often and there are over
                                                            |     30 distinct open source licenses.
The LGPL, also known as the Lesser General Public           |     
License, is very similar to the GPL, but it is intended     |     While it is not necessarily a free software license, it
for software libraries instead of entire programs. The      |     is also worth mentioning the public domain. Once a work
main difference is a program must be released under the     |     is released into the public domain, there are no
GPL if it links to a library licensed under the GPL.        |     restrictions on its use. There is no copyright on the
The LGPL does not contain this restriction.                 |     work. This may not, however, qualify as free software
                                                            |     under some definitions of free software since there is
A more recent license with a weaker copyleft                |     no guarantee that source code is released along with
                                                            |     software in the public domain.


----- Rather Unknown Feature of the Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            -- Solver on the 83 Series                      |
      by Nikky Southerland <allynfolksjr@calcgames.org>     |
                                                            |
If you're familiar at all with a 68k calculator, you're     |     now time to solve it. Press down on your keypad, and it
probably aware of its ability to solve for one              |     will display a screen that has the variables in your
variable (and other features, but lets not get into         |     equation. If your equation has more than one, you must
that now). Well, the 83 series can also solve an            |     make sure that the others are defined, or the result
equation like this one for X: 5x+17=3x                      |     will be inaccurate. So then, let's say you want to find
                                                            |     what X equals; simple. Just move your cursor by the X,
How you may ask? Using the "Solver" feature. You can        |     and press Alpha+enter. Your calculator will then tell
find this nifty tool in your math menu, then scroll         |     you what X equals.
down (or press zero) to enter it. Once there, you'll        |     
notice that it allows you to enter a equation equal to      |     Example: 3x+12y=(8x)^2, solve for X
zero, and you can change the other side. Before you         |     1. Goto the solver (Math, 0)
panic (because your equation has two sides to it!),         |     2. Type in ((8x)^2)-(3x+12y) next to the 0= part
remember a simple rule of math, it goes something like      |     3. Press down.
this: "<one side>=<another side>" is the same as            |     4. Define Y, (like as 2 or 17 or something)
"0=<one side>-<another side>"                               |     5. Goto X, then press alpha enter
                                                            |     6. Your calcualtor will do some nifty crunching and
Now that you (hopefully) entered your equation, it's        |        spit out what X equals. (Which should be -1.4767...)


----- Ask the Nerds ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            |
This month's question was submitted by our very own Joe     |          and sending the backup to the calculator. Assembly
C., who wants to know why calculators use shells.           |          language programs were stored as strings, but
                                                            |          could only be executed from within a shell. On the
                                                            |          TI-85, the shell was launched through an item
Question:                                                   |          placed in the CUSTOM menu.
     I was browsing the site and started wondering... I     |     
     know how a shell works, but why do programmers         |          The original shell, ZShell, was really a kernel
     choose to program for them instead of nostub?          |          bundled with a shell. Following a series of other
                                                            |          shells, one finally came along to replace ZShell.
Answer:                                                     |          Several of the best programmers in the community,
     While shells aren't necessary to run assembly          |          many of which you might recognize from the staff
     language programs on recent calculators, many come     |          list on ticalc.org, came together to create
     with kernels that provide useful features that the     |          Usgard. This was the first shell to allow users a
     TI-OS or AMS does not provide to the programmer.       |          choice of shell interfaces. Several choices, also
     These features include correcting awkward behavior     |          stored as strings on the calculator, were
     of the operating system, loading libraries created     |          available.
     by other programmers, and offering additional          |     
     functions not provided by the operating system.        |          While shells still provide some useful features,
                                                            |          they are also largely a holdover from the history
     Shells, however, once served a much more important     |          of assembly language programming on calculators.
     purpose. On the TI-82, TI-85, and TI-92, there is      |     
     no easy way to launch assembly language programs.      |     
     The TI-85 was the first calculator to have user        |     We're always looking for questions from our readers
     created assembly language programs. This was done      |     about community history, calculator help, or anything
     by modifying a backup of the calculator's memory       |     else of interest. If you've got something you'd like to
                                                            |     ask, please mail your question to redux@calcgames.org.


----- Letter from the Editor ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      by George Limpert <redux@calcgames.org>               |
                                                            |
I know I've promised many times to get this newsletter      |     represent the entire community to get involved. That's
out and many times it's been delayed. Among other           |     why we've decided to hire many writers instead of just
reasons, I put this newsletter off in hopes that            |     a single news editor to take my job.
members of the community might submit additional            |     
content at the eleventh hour. That obviously hasn't         |     It's time for the barriers to come down. Right now,
happened.                                                   |     CalcGames is in a period of transition. Barrett is
                                                            |     leaving and I'm passing on my duties to others. We're
One of the unfortunate things about CalcGames is the        |     confident that when we come out on the other side that
lack of involvement by much of our large community.         |     we'll be the best calculator site in the community.
Believe it or not, we've got a very large userbase.         |     
The site is also run by a group of administrators who       |     ----- Saying Goodbye to CalcGames ---------------------
represent this small segment of our users. While this       |           by Barrett Anderson <barrett@calcgames.org>
isn't very different from the various sites and the         |     
community as a whole of the past, it's something we're      |     Hey everyone, I'm somewhat busy right now so I'll make
 working to change.                                         |     this short.  First let me say that it has been a
                                                            |     wonderful nearly three years working at CalcGames.org.
Getting hired by a large calculator site is no easy         |     
task if you don't have any name recognition with the        |     For those of you who don't know who I am and what I've
community. On the other hand, getting the necessary         |     been doing -- I have done a fair amount of back-end
name recognition without working for one of these sites     |     coding for the site, along with some calculator
or being a prominent programmer is no easy task. This       |     programming.  I have been an administrator here ever
places a barrier between most of the community and the      |     since the site opened in March of 2002.
largest sites. It's time for that barrier to come down.     |     
                                                            |     I will be spending the next two years in The Dominican
We're looking to make our site appeal to a larger           |     Republic serving as a missionary for my church, and I
portion of the community than it does now. While we'll      |     will not be participating in CalcGames.org or the
still provide the archives we always have, we're            |     community in any way during that time.  Don't worry,
working to add other content of interest to gamers,         |     though; I am confident that the site will run smoothly
beginning programmers, and experienced users alike.         |     while I am gone.
We're looking to start creating content instead of          |     
just distributing content others have made.                 |     Considering that this site has been open for three
                                                            |     years, and that it seems like yesterday when it was
That's where we need your help. We're not looking for       |     first opened, two years doesn't seem like very much
people with impressive credentials to e-mail us and let     |     time at all.
us know they're interested in helping out with              |     
CalcGames. We're looking for ordinary users who             |     ~I'll be back~

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