Z80 calculators CAS project

[scubadiver102]

@davewu I was actually wondering if CAS on the Z80 was possible also. I'm thinking about coding it-if you would like to work with me, just PM me.

[DrDnar]

So I'm in 9th grade right now and i have a ti84se. I downloaded zoommath500, and palyed around with it, found that it's really useful while it's way toooooooooooo expensive. Does anybody have any idea about how to hack that software, or move the cas from ti89, or the one in ti92, to z80 calc as a app or into it's system? it'll be hecka awesome

It most certainly can be done, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. In the time it takes you to learn enough about software engineering to understand how to crack ZoomMath 500, you could have legitimately learned how to do algebra---and probably everything up through differential equations---because reversing engineering is very tedious work. The last person I know who gave it a real try (a master of reverse engineering calculator software) spoke highly of the app's copy protection system, saying that the system was well designed and very difficult to crack. But I won't tell you who, because I'm not interesting in ruining IQ Joe's business. So just do your school work.

However, I do encourage you to try writing your own software. Writing a program to perform a mathematical task forces you to formalize the concept in a way that may help you to understand it better. I, personally, have only shared one of my math programs online. But it has a note saying that it could sometimes fail to produce an answer when one exists, and to work out the problem by hand if that happens.

[alberthrocks]

I remember having a discussion yesterday about the feasibility of porting gCAS2 to the TI-OS in an odd fashion. Since it's all in C, it won't be as efficient and will be much greater in size, likely exceeding the 8k program execution limit. However, I had an idea to convert the 8Xp (or just the binary output) to 8Xk (an app). (This deserves its own topic, but I want to be semi-free before trying to code it )

DrDnar is right in many aspects - I also know of the hacker (who I should mention is a pro at Z80 assembly and very knowledgeable of the TI-OS) who played around with ZoomMath. You'd be better off learning the math yourself! Besides, real STEM people in the field don't use CASes** all day...

If you really want to try making a CAS, you can study existing CASes and understand how they work. Not only will you be able to write a CAS, but you'll also develop the mathematical knowledge that the CAS attempts to use!

** OK, professionals do use CASes - most notably, Mathematica. But they use it for much, MUCH more complex mathematical operations then solving equations, probably operations that are understood in theory but impossible for humans to perform by hand. That is a legitimate use of a CAS.

[Geekboy1011]

iirc there are at least three people who have attacked zoom math. with all differing succsess.

each one with a different approach to it as well xD