Newbie question

[SopaXorzTaker]

Can I program PIC16F84A without 12V?
If so, how? 

[westfw]

No.

However, many programmers feature "clever" ways of generating the 12V supply.

*HOWEVER*, there is no way that a "newbie" should be using a PIC16F84A chip, unless their only intent is to build some device designed a couple of decades ago back when this was one of the few microcontrollers available to hobbyists that didn't require a very expensive programmer indeed.  There are MANY, MANY, microcontrollers that you can buy today that are cheaper, more powerful, easier to program, and have more extensive community support. (no, it doesn't have to be an Arduino, though that's ONE good option.  Newer Microchip parts are also much better/cheaper than the 16F84.)

[SopaXorzTaker]

I have it alreadly

Smashi t with a hammer?

[glatocha]

or keep it as a souvenir.
I am not sure if the PIC16F84, was not the first uC on the market with a Flash memory.

[westfw]

I am not sure if the PIC16F84, was not the first uC on the market with a Flash memory.

The PIC16C84 was the first microcontroller released with electrically reprogrammable program memory, but they called it "EEPROM."  Shortly thereafter, Atmel released an electrically reprogrammable microcontroller where they called it "FLASH based" (I'm not sure whether that was one of the AVRs, or one of Atmel's 8051 chips, but Atmel routinely claims "first flash microcontroller.")  Shortly after that, Microchip "replaced" the C84 with the F84, and started calling the memory "FLASH" memory as well (as they did with all subsequent chips.)   It's never been clear to me whether there was any change in the actual technology between the C84 and F84 memory, or whether the actual technology was closer to EEPROM or FLASH (which are pretty similar technologies, especially in the early days, and at lower densities.)

[Alex Eisenhut]

I have it alreadly

Smashi t with a hammer?

I don't know. It's not like it's big, just create a "museum" drawer in your parts bin. I have a windowed 12C508 just because it's so unusual to see a ceramic 8-pin DIP with quartz window.

I'll never use the part, I sold my UV eraser years ago.

[SopaXorzTaker]

okay, will make a trinket for my Nokia 

[westfw]

Get a different chip to learn/work/develop with, and when you have a project that "fits" the f84, go ahead and use it.