Re: Your mindset about Forth?

Helmar <helmwo@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

But can Forth ever be interesting again for a mainstream? I'm,
curious. The computers today are probably too powerful for a
language like Forth. Even embedded devices now get for 2 ct more of
production costs a such fast chip that something like Forth might
not be needed anymore.

Thinking about Forth only in terms of resource usage in small systems
is IMO a mistake. The most limited resource will never be the
resources of our systems but much we can fit into our heads. Here
Forth really scores: a powerful, extensible system that can readily be
comprehended by a programmer. It's hard to overstate just how
important this is. In a world of increasingly complex systems, simply
providing examples of simple ones is a service.

The key question is this: In multi-million line computer system with
its compilers, optimizers, debuggers and so on, just how much of that
code is part of the solution, and how much part of the problem?

So since a new year will begin soon, where do you see the future of
Forth? Is it ANS94, ANS20xx or something completely different?
Should Forth go to desktop? Where is what Forth in the next years
could make sexy?

It's much harder for Forth to show its advantages as a tiny piece of
code on top of the behemoth that is today's desktop OS. I'm sure it
has advantages there too, but less so.

The future of Forth, therefore, will be whatever those people who know
it want it to be. I don't know what that will be. But I do know that
the class of simple systems will never be obsolete because that
fundamental limitation -- the size of our brains -- will never go
away.

Andrew.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Will Rich Marcello either come clean or do some proper marketingand
    ... >> Even software comparison may not be enough. ... they are just much slower than hardware comparisons. ... computer trying to lock a resource may not continue before the sibling ... processes on the other computers try to lock the same resource, ...
    (comp.os.vms)
  • Re: Is there a Vista book?
    ... My advice is different from most - except that I agree with Ken Blake that "Windows Vista Inside Out" is an excellent resource. ... My favorite resource for understanding the successive Windows versions has always been the Resource Kits published by Microsoft Press. ... They are thick, expensive, and they cover a LOT more than I need to know - like how to deploy the new system to your thousands of computers in dozens of offices. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.vista.general)
  • Java issues? Java compiler not listed? Soem PCs wont load site...
    ... We have about 20% of the computers at our instituion wont load a ... Java-based web site. ... The page loads saying Loading resource... ... differences btwn the computers. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.inetexplorer.ie6.browser)
  • Add and remove programs using Group Policy
    ... The program deployed without a hitch and the peasants rejoiced. ... ure 'DefaultFeature', component '' ... I assigned this software to computers and not users so I don’t know why it ... to find a good resource for working with and troubleshoot software deployment ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.group_policy)
  • Re: OT - help request for the Dark Side
    ... i.e. routers, shop tills, ATMs etc. ... They all are computers which run an OS - mostly not windows. ... Embedded devices are often run by processors in the PPC, ARM, or even 4 ... microcontroller that's widely used. ...
    (uk.comp.sys.mac)