Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!willett!ForthNet
From: ForthNet@willett.UUCP (ForthNet articles from GEnie)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: Build the world's largest Forth Word!
Message-ID: <1394.UUL1.3#5129@willett.UUCP>
Date: 27 Jul 90 02:03:17 GMT
Organization: String, Scotch tape, and Paperclips.  (in Pgh, PA)
Lines: 32


 Date: 07-24-90 (08:22)              Number: 3561 (Echo)
   To: DENNIS RUFFER                 Refer#: 3551
 From: JACK WOEHR                      Read: NO
 Subj: PURE PF                       Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE

 >
 >What's so "pure" about polyFORTH?
 >
 >Indirect threading.  Parameter fields contain definition tokens which p
 >code field addresses which point to code.  Certainly not the most effic
 >but the most universal technique across various hardware platforms.
 >

        True ... indirect threading is actually the *least* efficient
 (with the exception of some C-coded   switch   statement primitive
 engines which I have seen, i.e., Pratt's early CFORTH) inner 
 interpreter.

        BUT YEZZZZ, it is the *most* portable, there is no question
 about it. After years of escaping from indirect threaded in favor
 of faster-executing direct-threaded, JSR-threaded and silicon-threaded
 schemes, my next Forth for Vesta ... is indirect threaded! This
 allows me, in this particular case, to author a really dynamite Forth
 on this particular cpu.

                =jax=

 NET/Mail : RCFB Golden, CO (303) 278-0364 VESTA & Denver FIG for Forth!
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