The biggest influence is if I recognize the authors name. It doesn't have to be a big name, it could be anyone from the tigcc message board.

Secondly I go by documentation.

Third I try to have only open source software on my calc.

WHAT IS TICALC.ORG DOING? why is "I dont download programs even an option"? No one would have a profile if they didnt download programs.

(why are there no screenshots for utilities?)

You're saying I should remove my account? Hmm. I think I object to that.

are you saying you don't download programs?

I note you havn't voted for that option, unless it's that you didn't vote at all...

I first came here years ago to download programs, then I was gone for a while. Last fall I began programming again, and I came back to create an account so that I could _upload_ programs and get advice. I almost never download programs anymore, although I usually read the articles and look at the updated files and stuff. And if i ever do dl one, i forget about it by the time id be ready to try it out, so I have actually dled plenty of games ive never played.

It said "for my calculator". Maybe some people only play games on vti.

Speaking of Vti, Corey seems to be considering making a new version. (vti.acz.org, or above link.) He is asking for people to tell him if they want this. So, I would like to encourage anybody who would like to see a new version of vti, to check out that site!!

MWM

Now that is the kind off stuff that people need to be developing. For too long has vti and many other great concepts remain dormid. I would give it my full support and attention but I know nothing about computer programing or the internal workings of ti calcs.

well, you know it's supposed to be illegal to have the ti firmware without the calc itself. although i'd say a lot of people (most?) have d/led it off that foreign site...

Well, it is important to account for as many possible options as you can in a survey, because you never know how someone may answer : )

What about graphics programs, grayscale images, and animations? u at least want to see what it looks like before you download it because the look is all that matters. Unlike utilities, graphics programs are useless without the graphics!

Off Topic(dont read if your a moderator): does anyone have schematics for an amplifier or transmitter for use with sound programs?

"dont read if your a moderator"

Shouldn't that be: "don't read if you're a moderator" :-)

shouldn't that be 'Shouldn't that be: "don't read if you're a moderator?" :-)' :)

I'd do another "Shouldn't that be" about the s in "shouldn't" not being capitalized, but I didn't think three nested pairs of quotation marks would look good. In fact, how would you do that? Maybe you could escape the characters or something :)

Shouldn't that be "Shouldn't that be 'Shouldn't that be: \"don't read if you're a moderator?\" :-)' :)" :-D

I need a life.

Put the "?" outside the quotes when a sentence is a question but the crap in the quotes is not.

I think the screenshot is extremely important especially for visual people (obviously). If you just read some discription made by the author, of course they're going to probably say it is good. So, if you take a look at a screenshot, you can determine a lot about if it is good or not and save a lot of time rather than downloading it, transfering it, and then finally seeing what it is like versus just clicking on a link and seeing a picture.

well, usually you wouldnt get the calc out just for that one program, you would just desktop it (me, the irrevocable clutterbug) or file it away for your next transfer. then if you don't like it, delete it! of course, if the filesize is huge, you would probably send it first, and separately, if at all.

It really depends. For some programs, like graphics progs and games, it's almost essential to have a screenshot, but with utilities and other types of progs, I go more by the readme and description than anything else.

the screen shots help to show you if the program is worth download because you can see if the programer did a good job or not.

I agree. Graphics don't make a game, but if they're polished then the rest of the game probably is too. On the rare occasion when a game has good graphics but the game itself is horrible, you've probably already made a hundred good decisions by looking at screenshots, so it's okay.

funny thing is that graphics can't make a game, but they can easily break it. for example, how many people would be ticked off if longhorn was made text-only and included no gfx libs? on the opposite side of the coin, what would happen if someone made a $60 nigh-static "game" whose sole purpose is to show you a series of short high-graphics cinematics separated by sparse pong-like gameplay pieces?

LOL!!