18 replies to this topic

[Bob Vila]

for the past little while i have been trying to convince my friend a TI-83+ Silver Edition, and Voyage 200 user to get a casio, i think i have his hooked on getting a classpad, but i need more info to prove it is better than the ti's, any help would be great

[betoe]

I think its all depending of the use that your friend will give to the calculator. By example, the classpad its great for educational, for learn some math's basics, but some things that this calculator dont have (like engineer functions etc...) we can make it in casiobasic and problem solved.

Personally i like the bigger display and the friendly interface, icons, menus etc... Also i had heard that the classpad its the faster of all the 3D graphics calculators. Other thing, i hope that one day i could make and use 8086 ASM add-ins like with the AFX (i hope this will be possible).

(I hope my english will be understandable, if no i will edit this hours later)

[DrCoyote]

It would be difficult to come up with compelling arguments in favor of the Casio unless I knew what your friend plans to do with the calculator. The Voyage 200 is a very capable machine, and has some built in functions and capabilities that the ClassPad does not. It is true that new fuctions can be programmed into the ClassPad, but then they're not really integrated into the calculator's operating system.

The ClassPad does have it's charm. Perhaps if we knew what your friend is going to be doing with the calculator...

[Bob Vila]

pretty much all he does is program with his calcs

[CrimsonCasio]

well, if he can do ASM or C tell him about it being able to do sound and how the stylus is as good as a mouse.

[Bob Vila]

it can do sound? wow, but he doesnt program c/asm, but he is pretty good at TI basic

[CrimsonCasio]

well, I'm hoping for a better basic language... brian seems to like the compiler idea.

btw: this is qwerty were talking about right?

[Bob Vila]

btw: this is qwerty were talking about right?

yea

[Alfx]

Hi FOlks!
It's impossible to persuade a TI user to buy a Casio...it's simply science-fiction!
Right now, with the new icon software they are extremely opposed to any casio's discussion!
Really It's an already lost battle!
See u

[CrimsonCasio]

I wouldnt say that, not only do we have users with Ti's on this forum, I've also converted one or two in my time.

[Bob Vila]

It's impossible to persuade a TI user to buy a Casio...it's simply science-fiction!
Right now, with the new icon software they are extremely opposed to any casio's discussion!
Really It's an already lost battle!

ha, he is going to get one one more classpad user, and hopefully another member of the UCF

[CrimsonCasio]

excelent, he'll be just in time for the "ClassPad Revolution", plus he should enjoy programming the classpad if he is a Ti-Basic programmer

[Bob Vila]

he has already read the whole manual, and says it has a whole ton more add-ins than his voyage and that is why he is getting it. his only game published was this one, he did it in one weekend... http://www.ticalc.or.../313/31307.html

[tonyp]

I've been using the TI-89 for at least a couple of years and I always discover new things about it. I also ordered a ClassPad (and still expecting to receive it) but I don't (never did) expect to put the TI-89 aside in favor of the ClassPad. I also think I won't be able to do without the ClassPad for the things it does better like its dragging from app to app, and the partial copy paste (the TI-89 can't do that, you have to edit the line after you copy it if you only want to use a portion of it).

I see the two calculators as complementing each other. If I thought the TI-89 is best, there'd be no need to even look around for buying a ClassPad. But that doesn't mean I expect the ClassPad to be best.

I've already read most of the manual and used the simulator enought to know what I'm getting. So, the only comparison for me should be focused on the things that are common to the two. Which one is 'better', i.e., faster, more accurate, easier to use for a particular task?

I'll agree that the ClassPad seems to have a lot more built-in functions. Many of them can be implemented as user functions in the TI-89 so I can't take sides yet until I've used the ClassPad for a while. I was impressed by the 'simplify' example on page 2-7-3 of the manual. I tried to get the TI-89 to do this but failed.

It also has a very easy to use user interface (especially for applications like 'geometry' which would be rather difficult to implement using standard keyboard). A richer real keyboard, on the other hand, adds speed for more common calculations and once you've used it enough it becomes second nature.

I can't say I'm 100% satisfied with the ClassPad's real keyboard. It seems to be there for show-off not work. In such a limited keyboard, I'd expect it to be better thought out what goes on it and what doesn't. For example, the use of (-) is pointless because its function can be done with minus sign and the key could have been used for ANS which is rather useful. It could even be a SHIFT key that would double the number of real key functions. One might argue that the idea with the ClassPad is to use the touchscreen as much as possible. I'll agree to that but then I'll have to ask why not then make the screen all the way to the bottom of the device, have only an ON/OFF real button and have the soft keyboard (which is richer than real keyboard) take up the space on extended touchscreen where the real keyboard is now.

Anyway, to me it's more important how quickly (number of taps, clicks, or keystrokes) one can get to what his wants, and that has a lot to do with overall organization. And I think it's pretty good at that.

That's all for now. I'm still paying with it

tonyp AT acm.org

[qwerty841]

Yeah, I'm going to get a ClassPad soon

[Bob Vila]

hey qwerty

[qwerty841]

hey

[qwerty841]

i got a great score on miniputt-hole in one on the windmill. someone should write a game like that for the classpad

[CrimsonCasio]

hi again, I've actually been thinking about that but I have to many other projects... mabey you could do it

anyway, a few things about posting you should know: (its not a big deal for nw members but you should get in the habit)
1) stay relevent to the topic
2) if you think of something new, and its not been 5 minutes since your last post then edit your last post (unless someone else has posted in that topic, then its up to you)
3) dont leave obsucure/meaingless posts arround like clipings from James Joyces notebook.
4) Dont Spam
5) Read old post to make sure your question hasnt been answered (just a quick search is required, we do expect you to search through the archives (besides it makes us look smart))

ok, I'm done with the boring admin lecture...( :motz: )