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Don't Update Your TI-83 or TI-84 Calculator's Firmware:
It's weird to think about using a calculator in 2020, when just about everyone has a smartphone or laptop within reach, but Texas Instruments' calculators are still a popular (and often required) resource for students. The latest calculators are even capable of installing and running simple applications, which makes them an excellent learning tool for coders and hardware modders. (I even modded my TI calculator to run respectable facsimiles of Doom and Super Mario back in college.)
Unfortunately, Texas Instrument is removing support of the C assembly coding language in a new firmware update to crack down on cheating. And that means a lot of homebrew programs are either going to go away entirely or have to be converted to a much slower Python version—if that's even plausible.
The update affects the TI-84 Plus CE, TI-83 Plus CE-T, and the TI-83 Premium CE calculators. Texas Instruments says it's implementing the change to stop students from installing third-party software that circumvents the "exam mode" limitation on certain TI devices. Exam mode is designed to restrict certain functionality so students can complete their work without the help of extra features—cheating, basically.
[...] That said, TI-83 and TI-84 calculator firmware must be manually downloaded to your PC and updated over USB, so users who want to remain on the older version can do so by simply not installing the new firmware—but that's your only option.
What was the most interesting thing you created that ran on a calculator?
See also: TI removes access to assembly programs on the TI-83 Premium CE
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @09:48PM (14 children)
Boomers forced everyone to stay home at gunpoint to give Boomers a safe space.
Boomers forced every business to close at gunpoint to give Boomers a safe space.
Boomers forced everyone to wear face masks at gunpoint to give Boomers a safe space.
Boomers caused the worst economic depression in history to give Boomers a safe space.
Whiny entitled Boomers are the worst generation ever to live.
No longer.
Boomers must be made to pay with their lives for crimes against civilization.
The Final Solution to COVID-19 is to exterminate every Boomer.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @09:55PM (6 children)
Spammers really need to get a life!
(Score: 0, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @09:59PM (5 children)
Get a life? How? What part of "forced everyone to stay home at gunpoint" do you not understand?
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @10:15PM (3 children)
The part where you haven't put the gun in your mouth and pulled the trigger yet.
(Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @10:21PM (1 child)
I will outlive you, Boomer.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @10:35PM
Only by a few minutes. We've got a nuclear ICBM with your name on it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @11:12PM
He'd only miss.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Sunday May 31 2020, @01:59PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @10:07PM (1 child)
Hmm, fascination with youth and violence, plus a hated enemy all in one by targeting boomers. But this is more like a beta solution without nationalism.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @10:15PM
Nationalism?
There ain't no countries anymore!
No more good guys!
They're runnin' the whole show!
They own everything, the whole goddamned planet, they can do whatever they want!
(Score: 1, Troll) by captain normal on Saturday May 30 2020, @10:14PM (4 children)
If we're lucky Trump will start a war, reinstate conscription and put your sorry ass in into boot camp. Then you can go try to dodge Chinese and/or Iranian bullets.
When life isn't going right, go left.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @10:18PM (3 children)
Sure that makes perfect sense. Give me a gun. First thing I do with it is kill you.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @10:51PM (2 children)
What the hell is your major malfunction?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 30 2020, @11:08PM (1 child)
Hehe hiya joker... this is my rifle, there are many like it...
(Score: 2) by captain normal on Sunday May 31 2020, @02:47AM
no that's your gun. it's too small to be a rifle.
When life isn't going right, go left.