Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!aplcen!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars!heron From: heron@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Vance Heron) Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth Subject: Re: Blocks vs Text files Message-ID: <1990Oct5.180642.17165@jato.jpl.nasa.gov> Date: 5 Oct 90 18:06:42 GMT References: <1821.UUL1.3#5129@willett.pgh.pa.us> Sender: news@jato.jpl.nasa.gov Reply-To: heron@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Vance Heron) Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA. Lines: 35 Nntp-Posting-Host: mars.jpl.nasa.gov > From: CHARLIE HITSELBERGER Read: HAS REPLIES > Subj: BLOCKS AND FILES Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE > > What is better, Blocks or files? (for editing source, that is) > IMHO files are *much* better - I used a few of Bradleys forths - both under VMS & UNIX, but I also had the pleasure of introducing forth to several non-forth programmers - I had a fair amount of resistance, but I think blocks might have ended the entire affair - almost everyone who has ever used a computer knows how to edit files (and has their own favorite editor too) - with a simple (to use anyway) escape to the host OS, you can let everyone use any editor they want - they can insert as much code as they want, wherever they need it - and the Bradley forth's I used allowed you to LOAD - what could be easier ?? We could also have a main load file that just loaded all the others - to print the entire source do a global edit and change the LOAD command to PRINT and submit it to your local OS ! Happy Campers !! Also - in reply to another poster complaining about style, indentation, comments,... We all found text files to better accommodate "structured" formatting of the input data - and allowed easier printing of the code - vs - how many blocks for function 'X' ... > Tastes Great! Less Filling! Tastes Great! Less Filling! Blocks! > Files! Blocks! Files! probably true - unfortunately - these arguments/discussions seem rather religious :-( ------------------------------------------------------------------- Vance Heron | "Nothing sucks like a VAX" heron@mars.jpl.nasa.gov | - from a SEARS commercial -