So I have the Ti-nspire (non CAX or whatever) and I have downloaded the TI-Nspire Computer Link software and have put programs on the calculator. I can open them from the My Documents part, the .tns programs are in the MyLib folder, but now how do I run them? I downloaded my programs from this page: http://www.ticalc.org/pub/nspire/basic/m… ; every time I try to use them, the calculator says that the function being used is not defined.  I have already refreshed my library as well. If you could help me out, that would be great, thanks.

how about the most important one: cmplxanlys.zip ; because as far as I know, the TI-nspire cannot do laplace and inverse laplace: http://www.ticalc.org/pub/nspire/basic/math/
it says that it's for the CAS, but I have the regular version; should this matter?

OK, thanks, but I can't seem to get any programs to run on it.  Surely some of them were written for just the TI -nspire when the CAS and CX had not come out yet.  I think I am missing some simple steps here.  To run a .tns file, you click on Home, then My Documents, MyLib, click on the program file you want, tab over to the part with the equations and just hit enter on one of them?  it will tell me "Variable is not defined"

No, I also believe the issue here is that you have a non-cas device while the program requires the CAS engine.

Which generation is this? Clickpad, Touchpad, or CX? If you have a Clickpad or Touchpad, you can just install the CAS version of the operating system on your current calculator using nLaunch.

does it matter CAS vs CX CAS? 

The CX has a color screen. The Touchpad has a grayscale screen. I don't think it will be sane to run.
Also, CX OSes are RSA 2048 signed, versus Touchpad&Clickpad OSes that use RSA 1024.
Finally, CX and Clickpad&Touchpad use different memory chips & stuff, not really a good idea to run a CX OS on a non CX one.

@Levak ; not really a good idea?  because I am a poor college student who really needs his calculator to do laplace and inverse laplace for exams, which cannot be done without this OS.  I will try it anyway before having to pay an extra $80+ just to run this simple program.  Hopefully it will not mess up the calculator before I return it if this does not work

By not really a good idea, he means it won't work at all. The CX and non-CX have different hardware, which means different memory addresses and such so the OSes are incompatible. But do go ahead and try nLaunch, and make sure to install the CAS non-CX OS. Here's a link to the right OS: http://tiplanet.org/forum/archives_voir.php?id=3720

Did you look at the readme for nLaunch? You have to rename the OS file to phoenix.tns and send it as a document to the calculator, and then send a different, glitched OS file that starts the installation process.