Zane H. Healy wrote:
snip
> Interesting. I'd always only considered FORTH to be a language. So can it
> provide a "OS" of sorts in the same sense that BASIC did on systems such as
> the VIC-20 and C-64?
>
> I took a quick look at the FORTH resources you listed, but they don't
> really seem to have anything to do with PDP-11's. Is there a better place
> to get information on it for the PDP-11? i.e. a DECUS directory in the
> Sunsite archive?
>
> Zane
>
Hi Zane:
If you look at the _basic_ idea behind FORTH as a language, you will
find that it completely bypasses any other OS.
I.E.
Forth consists of a few hundred bytes of machine code, that implements a
_minimal_ FORTH 'kernel'. With this 'kernel' in operation, the rest of
the necessary computer (machine) operating system is written _in_FORTH_.
Said OS being as complicated, or as simple as desired.
The 'minimal few hundred bytes of machine code', is processor specific.
The part of the OS written in FORTH is portable, and _NOT_ machine
specific.
The Forth Interest Group (FIG) home page is at
http://www.forth.org/fig.html , which is your best place to start
looking for FORTH information.
Chuck
--
-----------------------------------------------------------
He, who will not reason, is a bigot; William Drumond,
he, who cannot, is a fool; Scottish writer
and he, who dares not, is a slave. (1585-1649)
While he that does, is a free man! Joseph P. 1955-
-----------------------------------------------------------
Chuck Davis / Sutherlin Industries FAX # (804) 799-0940
1973 Reeves Mill Road E-Mail -- cad_at_gamewood.net
Sutherlin, Virginia 24594 Voice # (804) 799-5803
Received on Fri Oct 10 1997 - 13:30:11 BST