Msg: 7156 *Conference*

05-10-97 19:34:34

From: DAVID FIRTH

To : COMET _

Subj: REPLY TO MSG #7046 (FORTH)

I alluded to it on the listserv, but a Pascal was done for the 8080 as a p-code
compiler (compiles to pseudo-codes for an imaginary machine for portability
between platforms) back in 1978. The write-up and BASIC source for the p-code
compiler was published in Byte.
 
The same technique, modified for various syntaxes, could be used for a tiny C,
etc.
 
The only problem is that you can't do anything but tiny programs, since the
p-code compiler was rumored to take up 20-24K of RAM itself (source: Compuserve
thread logs).
 
For small systems like the Model T's, Forth is an excellent platform. A 32K
ROM'ed Forth would be a powerhouse platform -- just super. I have a 68HC11
microcontroller with such a chip, and it is a neat toy. I use the NEC as a
terminal for it sometimes -- it can be like a"Forth co-processor" with the NEC
sending commands via RS232. I don't have a practical use for this, but it is a
neat toy.
 
I'm happy enough with BASIC for simple tasks, but I do get a bit hot when
people downplay the programming potential of these little computers. What do
they think these languages were first written for, anyway?
 
Later ...