I just turned 16. I got my TI-83 when I was a freshman (I was 14) cause they were required.
I started programming in BASIC right away although I had absolutely no experience with programming before. I didn't even have a computer until a couple months after i got my 83.
I soon started making little text games, then graphical RPGs. I rarely downloaded other games, instead I would just program my own. Most of the people at my school had my games on their calcs (mostly because not many people had graph links).
Then half way through the year I tried to learn ASM, then gave up, and 6 months later I tried it again, and for some strange reason it became almost easy. I am currently working on an assembly RPG and a side scroller.
BTW, pretty much everyone at my school has an 83 or 83+, a few people have 86s, and NO ONE has 89s or 92s or anything.

<snip>pretty much everyone at my school has an 83 or 83+,</snip>

I wish it was like that in my school. I have an 83 (required for AP Statistics). I didn't like rewriting my programs for all the people who had 82's, 85's, and 86's.

btw, does anyone know how to use noninteger numbers in Z80 asm?

Can anyone explain to me how to make an assembly program?

for which calculator?

Hurry up with that side scroller, we are in a desperate need for it.

Nivek

Im replying from a long bit ago of replies..

They were talking about calculators turning people into programmers.. well.. this is how it went for me..

My friend was making a web site.. so then i got in to HTML.. had a novice grip on it then i decided to adventure into Javascript.. i failed then tryed again 2 months later.. got a little bit better and mastered HTML. Then I got my 83 for Alg 2 in 9th grade..
Then i once again tryed javascipt.. i finally got it.. i got the novice grip on it... then i started tinkering with my calc and yeah.. that got me interested and i like that.. i tried to learn asm.. failed horriblly.. then i took a pascal (yeah pascal is great!) class.. i did very well.. and then i got my 89.. and i didnt ever program for it at all.. but then i took a C++ class.. and during my free time was working on some pascal programs.. and as i learned C++... i effitivly.. mastered javascipt (a smaller C++).. and here i am now.. with my own graphical and mouse driven pascal image editing program...

So in a wrap yeah my calc got me into program.. but i think my first programming language got me into it (HTML [Yes it is a programming language.])

btw im 16 if you care..

Well, I agree with all but your last assertion that HTML is a programming language. Let us look at the definition presented by "Principles of Compiler Design" by Aho and Ullman, a well respected text on Programming Language Theory. It states:
"A programming language is a notation with which people can communicate algorithms to computers and to one another." Well, obviously from this we would suppose that for HTML to be a programming language, we would have to be able to communicate an algorithm to a computer. From webster's online dictionary I obtain the definition of an algorithm as: "a rule or procedure for solving a mathematical problem (as of finding the greatest common divisor) that frequently involves repetition of an operation."

Clearly we cannot make a computer calculate a greatest common divisor via HTML. Additionally, we cannot solve mathematical problems at all using HTML. Finally, we cannot perform any repetition with HTML at all. With HTML, we can communicate algorithms to people, if we describe them. Unfortunately, this is useless to the computer; it doesn't know the HTML is an algorithm in this case. Thus, we can conclude that HTML cannot be used to communicate HTML to the computer. Transitively, HTML is not a programming language.

You may argue that you can do algorithms with JavaScript, ASP, PHP, but these are not HTML they are technologies that utilize HTML as a means for conducting input and output.

I agree. HTML is a very useful tool, but not quite a programming language.

Argh, you do not know how hard it is to make web pages that way! If u accidentally type a <HTML> instead of </HTML> or anything wrong, EVERYTHING screws up.

Yes, I know it can be frustrating. In fact, the link above goes to a site I made all in HTML. Even though it can seem hard, it is still not very powerful, or nearly as useful, as a programming language like C++ or ASM.

A proof by contradiction... Way to use that discrete math!

Ugh, that's hard to look at, but it peaks at 16, then drops of pretty steadily

Im 21 and from Sweden. Like other science students at swedish gymnasium( 10th to 12th grade, age 16-19) i got a TI-82,now they use Ti-83+, when i started, then i saw a Ti-85 and got that, not because of games but polynom solver and complex math. It was actually a part of why i choosed the science program, when we was visiting from 9th grade they demostrated the CBL with a OH-screen on a TI-85 and played Tetris on it. Then the TI-92 came and our teacher demostrated that they, had one in the phycis and math teachers room, i got that but couldnt use it on tests. Then i bought a TI-86 and now i have a TI-89.I used to store formulas in my calc and cheat that way, actually our math teacher knew, but he didnt care, he said we still had to know how to use tthe math. But i had problems with university math because off it, on calc allowed at all. So in Sweden everybody in the science and technology program on the gymnasium gets a TI-83 or TI-83+ today at age 16. How is it in other countries(not US) ?

Do you study in a gym?? =8-)

No ignoramous. A gymnasium ist a school für advanced learning. kinda like ein private school aus America.
sorry about the grammer. I am a Deutsch (Geermaan?) Student.

I'm 15. You know I still play Dr. Mario for the original NES sometimes.