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From: marc@noe.UUCP (Marc de Groot)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: Re: Thoughts on Forth (was: Why don't people use Forth...)
Message-ID: <761@noe.UUCP>
Date: 20 Jan 90 20:59:10 GMT
References: <6001@sdcc6.ucsd.edu> <756@noe.UUCP> <95.UUL1.3#5129@willett.UUCP> <240.UUL1.3#5129@willett.UUCP> <2342@cs-spool.calgary.UUCP>
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Reply-To: marc@noe.UUCP (Marc de Groot)
Organization: Noe Systems, San Francisco
Lines: 27

In article <2342@cs-spool.calgary.UUCP> gintera@cpsc.ucalgary.ca (Andrew Ginter) writes:
>MOST programmers will grant that deep nesting produces compact code
>and that such code is comparatively easy to write.  They will also
>argue that deeply nested code is difficult to read and understand - a
>criticism commonly leveled against LISP and FORTH.
> [ stuff deleted ]
>The fact is that MOST people have trouble with nesting and no matter
>how you tout a language which encourages nesting, they will never
>like it.

I have problems reading other programmer's deeply nested Forth code
sometimes.  Other times I have none.  The things that make a difference
for me are:
	- The code must be well-documented.

	- I must have a word like VIEW, which instantly shows me the source.

	- I must have a single-stepping mechanism so that I can wander
	  through the code.

With the above tools, I have no problem.

-- 
Marc de Groot (KG6KF)         |"...few people know what to do with a computer.
Noe Systems, San Francisco    | They decide that running an operating system
UUCP: uunet!hoptoad!noe!marc  | is a substitute for doing productive work."
Internet: marc@kg6kf.AMPR.ORG | -Chuck Moore