whizee! eye phear j00 b00clax!

-phil r. <nawt noh jenera phewl>

it's lonely on the top
MORE WOMEN! MORE WINE!
:)

--BlueCalx

Another one of Nick's way way off-topic posts...

I think this thread should be deleted. :)

I said something about that on the previous article, but I dont think they care (that should start a nice argument).
- Matt

Somehow that doesn't surprise me...

The whole first thread of the September web stats article was nonsense like started this thread... I kept saying it should be deleted, and I kept getting ignored... no matter, though.

You have access, just delete it.

Nah, if they wanna look bad it's no skin off my neck.

Sorry to nitpick again, but this article has absolutely nothing to do with TI graphing calculators. I see the phrase "TI calculator programming" mentioned once, but thats just about it.

I think it is very relevant to calculator programming. Both the GB and the TI-8x calculators use almost the exact same processor, with very little difference in lanuguage itself. I think the reason behind posting this news item is to encourage coders in what they do. Icarus Productions has shown that it could beat the odds (and the limitations) and demonstrate the GBC's full capabilities. It's just like when Don Barnes' SMQ came out with outstanding graphics, and we were all amazed at the shiny new graphics. I think this is good news. Besides, Icarus Productions is hosted here at ticalc.org. Why host a site here if it did not relate in some way to TI-calculator programming?

~ferich

I refer you to some comments made by David Phil1ips on another news item a few days ago:

>> 1) The GB does _NOT_ use a Z80! It uses
>> a specialized processor that is similiar
>> to the Z80. It has a few instructions that
>> the Z80 does not have (SWAP, STOP, etc.) and
>> is missing many instructions that the Z80 has.
>> It has more 8-bit memory addressing modes, and
>> no 16-bit modes. It has no index registers, and
>> no shadow registers. This makes it essentially
>> a RISC version of the Z80.

Icarus is hosted here at ticalc.org because I convinced them to come, back in late February. :) But they have many "departments", and one is TI graphing calcs and one is the Gameboy Color.

But notice I didn't say the same processor. That doesn't take the fact away from being relevant to ticalc.org.

~ferich

You said "almost the exact same processor" and David said "specialized processor that is similiar to the Z80". I donno, I think there is a difference, maybe not.

Anyway, it doesn't mention "TI graphing calculators" at all but just once.

The GB's CPU is not opcode compatible with the Z80, nor is it assembly compatible. Therefore, it is a completely different CPU. The assembly language and architecture are simliar, the way the Z80 is simiar to the 8080. The GB CPU is closer to a Z80 than say a 6502 or a 68k CPU, but they clearly a different CPU. In fact, as I recall, the Z80 has opcode compatibility with the 8080, yet the GB CPU does not. That would make the Intel 8080 closer to the Z80 than the GB CPU.

Hrm.. this is a bit off topic, but i wrote a gameboy programming tutorial at http://james.acz.org

if you code ti-86 or so, you could use it quite easily..

also, the gameboy doesn't use the same processor as the calcs, AND i think it's more similar to an intel 8080, but that's just MHO

Yup, Jimmy Mardell just confirmed that fact on A86.

Hehehe, he replied to my post. Don't I look stupid now! D'oh! Well, the GB does seem to suck when compared to our awesome calcs, don't you think? More proof that some of those gameboy games could be remade for the calc. Maybe an abridged Pokemon? There is one version being written for the 89, right? Hmm. Well, I think I've digressed enough for one post...

I wouldn't go that far... the processor on the calcs may have more mhz.. but the gameboy is better for games. The dma, and VBlank, and HBlank interrupts are so nice to code with...

A nice descriptor for it would be a Z80 work-alike; they can carry out basically the same functions.

Hm, actually, I think I was the one who actually talked Andi into coming here. He mentioned to me he was thinking about it, and I don't think I let up on him until he told me he would. ;)

I talked to him several times about it too, and I didn't let up either. :) Who knows who finally changed his mind...

Well, I've been a close friend of his since Usgard 0.9b was put out, so if you had been persuading him, I may have put him over the edge. Or, it may have just been a combination of us. No matter, he's here and likes ticalc.org's hosting, so I'm happy that he's happy.

(Now if only I could talk him into registering an account--Bryan, maybe you should bother him about that, too, hehe.)

If you went to the Icarus website, you would notice Andreas is gone for 8 months for military service. :)

I'm quite aware that Andi is in the army, however, he does return home quite often to check his mail and such, because I talk to him about once a week in the evenings over there. :)

I don't mean he needs to post every day, I just think it'd be nice if someone wanted to look him up or whatever and could find him in our directory.