Re: New TI Graphlink software for 89


[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: New TI Graphlink software for 89



I hope you are right. But, that's what they told me last June about the
TI-92+ mac link software. When it did not come to pass they claimed the
software would be ready by late August. I bought the Plus hardware
last June and the calculator just sits there gathering dust. I do
most of my work on the computer, I prefer to use the calculator for
calculations and transfer data back and forth. I suppose I could remove
the Plus hardware and go back to using just the TI-92 as it was.
Then I wonder why did I buy the Plus in the first place. I bought it
to use not to sit in my desk.

But what bothers me most is I took them at their word last June and talked
several other teachers in to trying the TI-92+/TI-89's. We now have a few
teachers that may never try using calculators in their classes. I also
have had to change my lesson plans not only for this year but next as well.
At our school we have started plans for next year. The TI-89 and TI-92+
can not be included because of the lack of mac support. It may seem strange
to some but from my experience at our school the only teachers who are pushing
to have technology, calculator or otherwise, use in math classes are mac users.
They too  are losing interest in TI products and are becoming more
interested in Mathematica. They do have a point. With Mathematica teachers
and  students can integrate calculations with word processing and e-mail.
The TI-82,83,85, 86, and 92 almost have this  potential. But, it's
calculators like the TI-92+ and TI-89, with their large memory where some
really neat things could be done. I feel bad that my students will not get
the chance for several years. In fact we have faculty members that
do not want our students to ever get the chance.

Again, I hope you are right, however I for one am not optimistic. Maybe my
students
will be using the TI-89 in the school year 2000-2001 perhaps not.

Good Luck

G. Wardall
>I just e-mailed TI and they said the Mac Graph Link software would be out
>later this month.
>
>--
>Bryan Rabeler <brabeler@ticalc.org>
>   File Archives, News, Features, and HTML
>   the ticalc.org project - http://www.ticalc.org/
>
>On Fri, 13 Nov 1998, Gary Wardall wrote:
>
>> The problem with the current Mac TI-86 link software is that it
>> is slow when the calculator is loaded up with programs.
>> It takes more time to transfer a small collection of files
>> from the computer to the calculator that it does to
>> transfer a large set of files from calculator to calculator.
>> I have to do this for each of my classes of about 30 students.
>> One would think the computer would be faster but it is not.
>> With the TI-85 software it was a breeze to do the whole class
>> in about 10 min.with the computer. With the TI-86 it seems to take
>> the whole hour.
>>
>> Another problem with the TI-86 mac link software is that you have only
>> one option for the size of "screen shots", with the TI-85 one had I believe
>> three, on the TI-92 one has two. This may seem like a minor point,
>> since one can always drop the "screen shots" into other programs
>> and expand or contract them, but if you are doing a larger number
>> of them, like I do when I write tutorials an such it is a big deal.
>> Frankly I wish the TI-86 software worked as well as the TI-85 does.
>> My hope, but again I doubt we will see the TI-92+ and TI-89 mac link
>> software very soon, is that TI-92+ and TI-89 mac link will be more like
>> the mac TI-92 or even more like the TI-85 and not like the TI-86.
>> But, I suppose beggars can't be choosers. However I am looking for
>> other products, product that supports the both the mac and educational
>> concerns. Mathematica, for about $150 per student and full support
>> for the mac an pc users, would be an option, I know a number of schools
>> are moving in that direction. I for one would rather use the TI-89/TI-92+
>> in the classroom and in my lesson planning, but with out the mac-TI
>> connection it just doesn't work.
>>
>> You mentioned VirtualPC. This works only on newer mac's, many of the
>> older ones, like we have at school and our students have is not
>> an option. In the educational community the mac users are very adamant
>> about their mac's, even though they are old. For the most part the
>> older macs are working just fine and the teachers have no reason to buy
>> newer ones. I don't think TI is aware or for that matter cares its mac
>> customers.
>>
>>
>> Good Luck
>>
>> G.Wardall
>> gwardall@uwgb.edu
>>
>>
>> ><<Thank you for the info. However, there still is no mac link software
>> >for the TI-92+ nor TI-89. I doupt there ever will be any.
>> >
>> >G. Wardall>>
>> >
>> >In all likelyhood there will be one, eventually; It will have an awful
>> >interface(like the 83's), and will never be updated again.  Meanwhile the 86
>> >software recently got completely redone to look like a decent Mac
>>application.
>> >Anyone know if those changes are coming to the other
>>versions(particularly the
>> >83?)
>> >
>> >On another note...  Are there any accurate counts as to the # of sales
>>on all
>> >the calcs?  i.e.  Which model has sold the most, has the 85 sold more
>>than the
>> >82, etc...
>> >
>> >And while I'm at it another note...  Is there _ever_ going to be a Mac
>> >assembler?  CAZ hasn't been updated in months/years, and I'm getting rather
>> >sick of loading VirtualPC to run a PC one.
>> >
>> >Thanks,
>> >
>> >--Vincent
>>