Yes boy's & girl's it's all about... NECRO THREADS!

[Omega-TI]

Okay,

Here's a topic about topics!

If you had to revive one old thread in the TI section, which one would it be... and why?

Please include a link in your reply.

[+Lee Stewart]

Considering that the TI-99/4A part of this forum has not been around as long as the TI-99/4A is old, there is no such thing as a “necro” thread!—they are just idle.

 

If I feel like revving up a particular thread, I do not need any prodding. I just post to it. And, voila! It is a current thread.

 

...lee

[+Schmitzi]

♪ Billy Idle

[+Schmitzi]

.

I prefer reviving old threads, not to make new threads for old topics again and again and again.

 

If it would be my turn, I would wish that users first search & read in existing topics,

and normally post their ongoing questions or problems there. This would make some things much easier, I think.

 

Just posting a new topic/thread next to an old and existing topic is a bit too easy.

And the result is, if anybody seriously searches for something, he will be overwhelmed with hits.

Many many hits, for the same thing, in so many threads. So klicking and reading increases to a maximum,

and things and discussions often are torn out of their sense, and spreading over many threads.

So many things are discussed and answered many times, in the same way, in different threads.

 

BUT, so it is, and this is part of the fun, and part of the hobby, and so it is OK again, I think.

And maybe cross-writing, cross-reading, and cross-thinking often is an indicator or a push for new ideas

 

With almost 3.300 topics and 76.000 replies were are getting one of the big and very active forums here on AA.

This can let us feel proud, and proud of the TI

no critic, just thoughts.

and yes, I confess, I am "a little bit" pernickety

 

...and I am NOT hoarding

 

xXx

[Omega-TI]

 

...and I am NOT hoarding

 

 

That sir can be vigorously debated!

[matthew180]

Back when the forum was new-ish, there seemed to be a lot more activity and discussion around writing programs. Everyone was working on something, whether a game, a tool, some hardware, a competition, or *seriously* trying to learn a language other than BASIC (assembly, GPL, Forth, etc). Personally I would like to see some of that old spirit of writing code and learning revived. The "build a RAM board" thread was in that vein of "doing something", and I really enjoyed following it. I'm not saying it does not happen now, it just seems not as many people are engaged in the "doing" part anymore.

[Keatah]

Classic computers are old. Necro-threads are old. They go together.

[Omega-TI]

From what I see, most people responding so far don't mind digging up old threads. That's a good thing!

I guess now we just need a few people to post a link or two to those threads they deem worthy of a second look... or a first look to some newbies.

[Keatah]

It's all about the noobs. Sometimes there is a topic of interest that was started 5 years ago.

 

What I dislike is people complaining about necro-threads. First of all, they aren't moderators, so they can just shut up because it won't change whether I resurrect a thread or not. Second, who the fuck are they to decide whether a noob gets to discuss something.

 

The "necro-complainers" are just as bad as the grammar police.

 

If there is any one thread about TI-computers that is worth renewing, it would have the be something like a how-to thread or sticky FAQ that hasn't been updated. IDK..

 

I follow TI stuff with a weird sense of fascination, but don't dabble in it beyond the occasional game via emulation.

[Omega-TI]

... are just as bad as the grammar police.

 

Oh, I am sooooooo glad we don't have grammar police in this forum. My typing sucks, and sometimes I find myself dropping a character or two or even putting them in the wrong sequence. I'd be run outta here on rails. Then of course I sometimes use CAPS to emphasize something, add color or even use photos.

[+Lee Stewart]

Mistyping, misspelling and poor grammar are easily minimized by re-reading (more than once for long posts) what is typed before posting. I figure that is the very least I can do for my readers. Folks misunderstand me often enough when I am careful. I certainly do not need to make matters worse.

 

...lee

[PeBo]

Don't know about Necro-threads, but my copy of G.R. Dickson's Necromancer is thread-bare, does that count?

[Sinphaltimus]

Back when the forum was new-ish, there seemed to be a lot more activity and discussion around writing programs. Everyone was working on something, whether a game, a tool, some hardware, a competition, or *seriously* trying to learn a language other than BASIC (assembly, GPL, Forth, etc). Personally I would like to see some of that old spirit of writing code and learning revived. The "build a RAM board" thread was in that vein of "doing something", and I really enjoyed following it. I'm not saying it does not happen now, it just seems not as many people are engaged in the "doing" part anymore.

I'm here to code. In returning to the TI since I was a wee little boy, i have started to learn extended BASIC which I did not have back in the day. Back then it was only BASIC for me. In learning Extended BASIC, I realized I really should be learning Assembly Language. But I do not have the hardware to support that. I suppose I can do it in emulation. So while playing with XB, I've also just started reading "Fundamentals of ti-99/4a Assembly Language" By M.S. Morley. I hope that's a good start. Sounds like it in the Preface.

[+Lee Stewart]

There are quite a few documents in the pinned “TI-99/4A Development” thread, TI-99/4A development resources. See, especially, The Art of Assembly series by the late Bruce Harrison.

Also, Matthew Haggerty's (@matthew180) thread, Assembly on the 99/4A, is a good read. See , especially, post #163 for @hloberg's PDF of the tutorial.

...lee

[+adamantyr]

Morley's book is definitely the best primer on assembly language to start with. It doesn't take you much further than creating programs, but it's easy to read and follow.

 

There's also the Compute! book on assembly language, which has a lot more graphics and game-related design stuff, but it explicitly uses the line-by-line assembler and the mini-memory cartridge. You CAN use the materials, you just have to know what's different between the two platforms.

 

The Art of Assembly is by far the best resource, other than this forum of course. Bruce manages to touch on nearly everything at least once.

 

On the topic of necro-threads, I don't have any issue with seeing old threads brought back. I HAVE noticed that we don't have as much action as we used to... I know we're all adults and busy elsewhere at times (including myself!), and I figured the summer months also figure in... when it's winter and cold and nasty outside, what better way to pass the time than working on your computer? Which, in the TI's case, also doubled as a space heater at times.

[Keatah]

Back when the forum was new-ish, there seemed to be a lot more activity and discussion around writing programs. Everyone was working on something, whether a game, a tool, some hardware, a competition, or *seriously* trying to learn a language other than BASIC (assembly, GPL, Forth, etc). Personally I would like to see some of that old spirit of writing code and learning revived. The "build a RAM board" thread was in that vein of "doing something", and I really enjoyed following it. I'm not saying it does not happen now, it just seems not as many people are engaged in the "doing" part anymore.

I think there are cultural issues causing it.

[matthew180]

I'm here to code. In returning to the TI since I was a wee little boy, i have started to learn extended BASIC which I did not have back in the day. Back then it was only BASIC for me. In learning Extended BASIC, I realized I really should be learning Assembly Language. But I do not have the hardware to support that. I suppose I can do it in emulation. So while playing with XB, I've also just started reading "Fundamentals of ti-99/4a Assembly Language" By M.S. Morley. I hope that's a good start. Sounds like it in the Preface.

 

Awesome! IMO the best way to learn is to have a project you want to do and start writing code and asking questions when you get stuck. Starting with emulation for assembly language is almost a requirement, unless you want the "authentic" (slow, painful, only fun if you are reliving your past) experience. Again, IMO, a good text editor, the asm994a assembler, and Classic99 make one of the best and fastest assembly programming environments for the 99/4A.

 

As Lee mentioned (thanks Lee), I started an assembly language thread here on A.A., and it would be great to see new questions posted in that thread. I admit it can get a little long-winded at times, but I was trying to explain things that I remember not understanding when I was learning assembly. I have not read the Bruce Harrison text from beginning to end (or in a long time), but it is also a good source of assembly info.

 

Finally, the Compute! book on assembly was the book that broke the ice for me when learning assembly. However, as I explain in my assembly thread, although the examples work and are very simple, they are teaching a really inefficient way of programming on the 99/4A (especially when it comes to VDP interfacing; it also obscures the access to the raw VDP, which can seem mysterious but is really very simple). Then again, when it comes to code efficiency and speed, I almost aways go with the fastest solution. But around here on A.A., you will get many solutions to a problem, you only need to ask.

 

Assembly is very rewarding and really fun on classic computers (that is a fact by the way, not just my opinion. )

[notwhoyouthink]

Okay,

Here's a topic about topics!

If you had to revive one old thread in the TI section, which one would it be... and why?

Please include a link in your reply.

I think this thread should be necro'd every once in a while.

Why? Because why not!

[JamesD]

Necro thread bumps don't really bother me if the poster has something relevant to say or ask.
But once in a while someone bumps a 5 year old thread with a stupid or unrelated comment and ... well... WTF???

[sometimes99er]

Back when the forum was new-ish, there seemed to be a lot more activity and discussion around writing programs. Everyone was working on something, whether a game, a tool, some hardware, a competition, or *seriously* trying to learn a language other than BASIC (assembly, GPL, Forth, etc). Personally I would like to see some of that old spirit of writing code and learning revived. The "build a RAM board" thread was in that vein of "doing something", and I really enjoyed following it. I'm not saying it does not happen now, it just seems not as many people are engaged in the "doing" part anymore.

 

Exactly.

 

Necro thread bumps don't really bother me if the poster has something relevant to say or ask.

But once in a while someone bumps a 5 year old thread with a stupid or unrelated comment and ... well... WTF???

Exactly.

 

Once I read everything. Now I'm really careful not to waste time.

 

Ultimately it's like you foolishly have to take part in a contest of "bumping" your own interests keeping it from "drowning" with any artificial life support system you can think of.

 

Edited December 21, 2017 by sometimes99er

[Omega-TI]

Ironic. When I originally posted this thread about Necro Threads, I never considered that it too would become a Necro Thread. Go figure!

[Omega-TI]

Back when the forum was new-ish, there seemed to be a lot more activity and discussion around writing programs. Everyone was working on something, whether a game, a tool, some hardware, a competition, or *seriously* trying to learn a language other than BASIC (assembly, GPL, Forth, etc). Personally I would like to see some of that old spirit of writing code and learning revived. The "build a RAM board" thread was in that vein of "doing something", and I really enjoyed following it. I'm not saying it does not happen now, it just seems not as many people are engaged in the "doing" part anymore.

 

It's still alive, all you have to do is << GO HERE >>

It may seem like it's not as many, but it could be more since there are now more members, but on a percentage basis who knows.