Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!SUN.COM!wmb
From: wmb@SUN.COM (Mitch Bradley)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: Re:  FORTH, the language
Message-ID: <8907220149.AA04023@jade.berkeley.edu>
Date: 21 Jul 89 19:50:02 GMT
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Reply-To: Forth Interest Group International List <FIGI-L%SCFVM.bitnet@jade.berkeley.edu>
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> Now, maybe Charles Moore really is Einstein Jr.,

Actually, he's more like the Lone Ranger, or perhaps James Bond.

Nicholas's points are well-taken.  The Forth community has suffered
from a "cowboy" mentality.

In one sense, this isn't too surprising.  Attempts to use or promote
Forth meet with strong, and sometimes irrational*, opposition.  This
causes selection pressure which biases the Forth community population
toward strong-willed individualists, anarchists, etc.

* Notice I said *sometimes* irrational, I don't mean to imply that
all arguments against Forth are invalid.  But I do sometimes face
flat out refusal to even consider Forth.

Anyway, I think it is incumbent upon the Forth community to "grow up"
and start using good engineering practices, readable coding styles,
and design for longevity.

Mitch