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tarticle-tgtimes-embedded-forth.mw - tgtimes - The Gopher Times |
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git clone git://bitreich.org/tgtimes git://enlrupgkhuxnvlhsf6lc3fziv5h2hhfrinws65d7roiv6bfj7d652fid.onion/tgtimes (git://bitreich.org) |
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tarticle-tgtimes-embedded-forth.mw (5888B) |
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1 .SH tgtimes |
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2 Embedded Forth Programming |
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3 . |
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4 .PP |
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5 Big computers can run large and complex programming languages, |
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6 so what can small computer run? |
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7 . |
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8 .PP |
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9 Compiled languages, in particular those with a small runtime are often chosen. |
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10 But the interpreted languages also have an audience willing to code with their favorite programming environment for them. |
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11 Programming languages as big as Python have their embedded counterpart (MicroPython) thanks to significant efforts. |
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12 They serve their purpose to embedded enthusiasts as educational and scripting languages to many. |
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13 . |
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14 .PP |
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15 But small "language in a nutshell" are fitting right the small resources of microcontrollers. |
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16 This is the case of Forth and its stack-machine approach. |
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17 . |
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18 .IP Mecrisp Forth - http://mecrisp.sourceforge.net/ |
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19 This implementation immediately targets microcontrollers. |
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20 See for instance the work of librehacker.com author Christopher Howard. |
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21 .FS |
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22 gemini://gem.librehacker.com/gemlog/tech/20220331-0.gmi |
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23 gemini://gem.librehacker.com/gemlog/tech/20220305-0.gmi |
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24 .FE |
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25 . |
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26 .IP chipFORTH |
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27 Another implementation of Forth, which were used by NASA |
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28 .FS |
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29 https://www.forth.com/space-shuttle-instrumentation-interface/ |
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30 .FE |
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31 for improving reliability of its flight control system, |
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32 among the mosts critical pieces of software of a shuttle. |
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33 . |
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34 .IP https://github.com/corecode/forth |
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35 Among notable Forth projects is Simon "corecode" Schubert's nimble forth implementation |
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36 .FS |
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37 .FE |
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38 as well as hardware code describing the working of a CPU that executes Forth natively |
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39 .FS |
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40 https://github.com/corecode/forth-cpu |
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41 .FE |
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42 . |
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43 .IP https://forth.chat/ |
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44 If feeling like having a taste of Forth and Forth community, there are several channels |
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45 featuring forth that you could enjoy, |
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46 some of which are oriented toward hardware projects directly |
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47 .FS |
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48 ircs://irc.hackint.org/#forth-hardware-projects |
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49 .FE. |
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50 . |
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51 .IP https://github.com/chmykh/apl-life |
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52 This is Conway Game of Life in APL in Forth |
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53 What a long chain! It is APL programming language implemented in Forth, |
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54 and Conway game of life implemented in APL |
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55 . |
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56 .IP https://github.com/remko/waforth |
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57 Feeling like pushing the irony of "Web" assembly even further? |
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58 Why not blasting a Forth implementation at it? |
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59 .FS |
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60 https://el-tramo.be/waforth/ |
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61 https://el-tramo.be/thurtle/ |
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62 .FE |
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63 This proves Forth as the new programming language \fIen vogue\fR |
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64 . |
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65 .IP http://collapseos.org/ |
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66 What else does a programming language need to prove itself useful? |
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67 A kernel? Check! |
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68 Collapse OS |
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69 is an operating system targetted at resilience over nine thousands, |
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70 as it is designed to resist everything around it tearing apart, including the whole civilisation. |
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71 When nothing remains but wastelands, CollapseOS will be there to reborn from scavenged parts and |
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72 from old computers. |
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73 . |
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74 .QP |
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75 Forth is, to my knowledge, the most compact language allowing high level constructs. -- Collapse OS author. |
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76 . |
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77 .IP "gopher://retroforth.org/ https://retroforth.org/" |
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78 A forth implemented in C, Python, C#, Nim, JavaScript and Pascal! |
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79 .FS |
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80 .FE |
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81 The C version permits to embed the script into a binary along with the interpreter, |
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82 for a single-binary deployment process. |
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83 The more classic way to use it is to use shebangs scripts to have executable scripts. |
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84 . |
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85 .PP |
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86 Many smaller utilities can already provide something you needed: |
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87 . |
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88 .IP http://retroforth.org/examples/Casket-HTTP.retro.html |
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89 An HTTP server |
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90 . |
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91 .IP http://retroforth.org/examples/Atua-WWW.retro.html |
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92 A Gopher to HTTP+HTML Proxy on top of Atua. |
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93 . |
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94 .IP http://retroforth.org/examples/Atua.retro.html Gopher server |
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95 A gopher server, already listed on the Gopher index of links, the Gopher Lawn |
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96 .FS |
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97 bitreich.org/1/lawn/c/gopher.gph |
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98 .FE |
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99 . |
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100 .IP http://retroforth.org/examples/7080.retro.html |
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101 A s |
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102 . |
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103 .IP https://gitlab.com/goblinrieur/spreedsheet/ |
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104 A spreadsheet application in the terminal. |
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105 . |
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106 .IP gopher://forth.works:100 http://forthworks.com/ |
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107 This is a collection of code blocks written in the Retro Forth's author (crc) newest Forth implementation. |
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108 It is itself served by a gopher server (blocks 203-205 on the list above) in Forth. |
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109 . |
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110 .IP https://github.com/oriontransfer/pl0-language-tools |
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111 A PL/0 implementation in Python that can emmit Retro Forth code as ouput. |
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112 It looks like Forth simplicity, portability, stability and speed of execution made it a good candidate as a target language. |
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113 The PL/0 language is known for the book \fIAlgorithms + Data Structures = Programs\fR |
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114 from Niklaus Wirth, himself famous for the Wirth Law: |
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115 . |
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116 .QP |
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117 The hope is that the progress in hardware will cure all software ills. |
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118 However, a critical observer may observe that software manages to outgrow hardware in size and sluggishness. |
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119 -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wirth's_law |
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120 . |
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121 .IP https://ribccs.com/candy/ |
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122 If you were doubting about Forth being fit for the industry, bear in mind that the above is |
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123 a very-large scale VFX Forth project with over a million lines of code! |
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124 . |
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125 .IP http://sam-falvo.github.io/kestrel/2016/03/29/vibe-2.2 |
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126 Why not spin a vi-like text editor itself in forth? |
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127 See how few code it takes to implement one. |
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128 . |
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129 .IP https://git.sr.ht/~vertigo/shoehorn |
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130 An answer to the bootstrapping problem: how to get from no software to a complete system? |
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131 Which compiler compiles the first compiler? |
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132 Forth's simplicity is a good candidate for solving this problem. |
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133 . |
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134 .IP https://git.sr.ht/~vertigo/forthbox |
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135 Software environment for computers to base upon right after booting: |
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136 a system shell in forth with real hardware projects dedicated to it. |
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137 Think of a LISP machine, but instead being a Forth machine. |
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138 . |
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139 .IP http://deathroadtocanada.com/ |
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140 This video-game uses Forth as a scripting language. |
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141 When a whole scripting language fits on a thumb, putting it everywhere costs nothing! |
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142 . |
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143 .PP |
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144 Such a large tool chest for such a small language. |
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145 With the Covid, Wars under disguise, and other supply chain troubles, |
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146 the era of "more features" is coming to an end, |
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147 and the era of reliability rises. |
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148 In these trying times, anyone is welcome to go Forth. |
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