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diff --git a/lang/forth/pkg-descr b/lang/forth/pkg-descr deleted file mode 100644 index b4a9acf1d15d..000000000000 --- a/lang/forth/pkg-descr +++ /dev/null @@ -1,222 +0,0 @@ -This is the file README and belongs to version 0.9.4a of May 8, 1994 -of the portable Forth-environment. --------------------------------------------------------------------- - -What is it? -=========== - -This package contains all neccessary ANSI-C source files to build a -running Forth-environment on most UNIX machines, on DOS and on OS/2. - -The Forth-system is closely modeled along the new American National -Standard for the programming language Forth. I implemented every word -of every word set mentioned in the dpANS-6 document of june 1993. -Additionally it is compatible to Forth-83. - -This set of source files is distributed under the GNU general public -license for libraries. See the file COPYING.LIB for conditions. - -I chose that one to point out that I don't consider programs you write -on top of it a 'derived work' of the portable Forth environment. To -violate these conditions you have to do two things together: - - - you use a modified pfe to run your program - - you keep these modification secret - -Should be easy to avoid. - - -Why did I do it? -================ - -For fun. As an excercise in unix programming. And there was no such -thing. See below, design objectives. - - -Design objectives -================= - -With two elaborate standards at hand, one for C, one for Forth, it -should be possible to build one language in terms of the other and -thus provide both where at least one is available. - -While I leave the writing of an ANSI-C compiler in Forth to those who -really believe in Forth's superiority and universality, I concentrated -on the manageable part: Providing a Forth-system in ANSI-C that is - - - CORRECT this means not just "no bugs" -- it means all - the interaction of all parts works as specified - by the standard AND by traditions. - - - COMPLETE with powerful computers on the desk and power- - ful programming environments there is no need - to and no use in strategies like "here kernel, - there xyz word set" that might be appropriate - on a microcontroller. - - - PORTABLE I hate to rewrite code because of environmental - dependencies. Most of the system should be a mere - interface between two well defined languages. - There are of course such dependencies. I tried - to resort to a common subset of all UNIX bahavior - known to me. Fortunately this in fact allowed - porting to DOS and OS/2 thanks to the great - emx-package. - - - USABLE A sole kernel helps noone. It should be a - development environment. You should be able - to manage multiple-source-file-projects from - within. - - - SIMPLE or transparent. At least to my taste. - -Maybe you miss the design objective SPEED. It was not my goal to -provide the fastest C-based Forth-environment. This would have led to -conflicts with much more important goals. We all have fast computers, -haven't we? - -After all pfe isn't slow. With a little tuning using GNU-C's global -register variable feature it is pretty fast. But obviously it cannot -compete with assembler implementations. - - -Status -====== - -Did I achieve the above objectives? -Some of them. I'll continue working on it. - -The system is in use for fifteen month now. Several quite obvious and -several quite subtle bugs have been fixed. While there surely are some -more, they are not as obvious since the system passes several test -programs, some of them rather sophisticated. - -Once you get the system running, you'll have - - - All ANSI Forth word sets with the exception of the assembler - hooks `CODE', `END-CODE' etc. Nothing else is missing. - - - Several more words provided for compatibility and convenience. - - - An interface to a text editor to edit plain text sources - and the ability to include them. - - - A word star lookalike block file editor to write - source in the old style block format. - - - A simple source level debugger -- maybe I should better - say "single stepper". - -Thus you'll be able to edit, compile an run programs in a moderately -comfortable way. For the final design of the development environment -your suggestions still are welcome! - -If you try this system, please keep in mind that it is still under -development. Sometimes new --even stupid-- bugs are introduced while -enhancing functionality or while fixing old ones. I appreciate every -hint to a bug and I fixed every bug I've been told about in the last -months. So please don't hesitate to tell me about whatever seems -wrong. Please check for the latest version via anonymous ftp from - - roxi.rz.fht-mannheim.de:/pub/languages/forth/pfe-?.?.?.tar.gz - -(accessible from germany only) or - - sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/languages/forth/pfe-?.?.?.tar.gz - -Please send suggestions and bug reports via e-mail to - - duz@roxi.rz.fht-mannheim.de - - -Usage -===== - -For installation refer to the files `install' and `tuning'. - -Once you have it running and see the "ok" prompt after typing return -you can interactively type in forth words. If you mistype, you can -edit the command line and recall old command lines with the arrow -keys. (If you can't then your termcap doesn't work all right and you -can resort to wordstar-like control keys.) - -To write some more statements try "EDIT-TEXT filename". This will -invoke your favorite text-file editor on the given file. If it -doesn't, first check the environment variable EDITOR, then check the -file "const.h" for the #defined symbol "EDITOR". - -Having written some code you can load it by "INCLUDE filename". - -If you prefer the old style block files, give a file to use as -block-file with the -b commandline option. Alternatively you can say -`USING filename' or if the file doesn't exist yet: `USING-NEW -filename'. Then you can edit a block by `n EDIT-BLOCK'. - -If your termcap-mechanism works well, the arrow keys and some other -function keys should be active. Quit the editor with ^U and load -blocks with "n LOAD". If it doesn't work well you might not even get a -picture. - -For more commandline options try the option -h. - -The interrupt key is remapped to ^U and leads back to the FORTH input -loop. Use it to break out of infinite loops. -To terminate the system, type BYE at the command-prompt or press the -keyboard quit key of your system (usually ^\). - - -Documentation -============= - -I started writing a documentation in texinfo format. This will allow -you to view it online or print it in good quality. There's also an -outdated and hopefully soon superseded man-page that explains some of -the command line options. All documentation is highly unfinished. - -For more information please try to get the dpANS-document, which is -an EXCELLENT REFERENCE to this system! You can (could?) ftp it at -ftp.uu.net in the directory /vendor/minerva/x3j14. - - -Contributions -============= - -are welcome! After the kernel is finished now it makes much sense to -share the burden of creating and improving a well rounded programming -environment for all tasks a Forth programmer wants to do. PFE is YOUR -tool. Get involved in it's design! - -There is a mailing list on pfe which you should subscribe to if you -want to be up to date with the development of the system. Send e-mail -to duz@roxi.rz.fht-mannheim.de if you want to subscribe to that -mailing list. - - -Acknowledgements -================ - -I want to express my gratitude to the people who put their efforts in -the precise descriptions I found in these documents: - - - draft proposed American National Standard -- Programming Languages - -- Forth (X3J14 dpANS-6, June 30, 1993) - - - FORTH-83 Standard (August 1983) - - - fig-FORTH Installation Manual -- Glossary, Model, Editor - (Version 1.3, November 1980) - -Thanks for providing superb development tools: - - - Richard Stallman and the FSF, Linus Thorvalds and all who - contribute to Linux and Eberhard Mattes. - -Several nice people gave me valuable hints to bugs and possible -improvements, were patient enough to try the very first releases, made -ports to machines I never saw myself and kept me from frustration. If -pfe is stable now it is thanks to it's users. Most notably: - - Lennert Benschop, Sean Conner, Holger Dietze, Kevin Haddock, - Rob Hooft, Giorgio Richelli, Marko Teiste, Guenther Thomsen. - -Thank You. |