Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!pitt!willett!ForthNet
From: ForthNet@willett.pgh.pa.us (ForthNet articles from GEnie)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: Basics of the Forth Language
Message-ID: <2103.UUL1.3#5129@willett.pgh.pa.us>
Date: 13 Dec 90 12:34:39 GMT
Organization: String, Scotch tape, and Paperclips.  (in Pgh, PA)
Lines: 43


 Date: 12-08-90 (19:08)              Number: 454 of 483
   To: RAY DUNCAN                    Refer#: NONE
 From: CHRIS WATERS                    Read: NO
 Subj: 1990 Forml                    Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
 Conf: FORTH (58)                 Read Type: GENERAL (+)

 RD.and so on.  The very things that make Forth so powerful for a
 RD.programmer who already knows structured techniques and safe
 RD.design practices make the language unsuitable for a person with
 RD.NO understanding of machine architecture and NO background in
 RD.structured, modular programming.

 Well, after reflecting on this a little more, I've concluded that:

 1) Forth is certainly not the best frst language for a child, but,
 2) Forth is probably a decent first language to teach an adult.

 Conclusion two is based on quite a bit of personal experience.  I have
 taught Forth as a first language to several people.  But I confess,
 all of them were adults, or at least college students.

 And I'm not (repeat not) trying to say that Forth is the best first
 language to teach anyone!  I would, however, rate it above C (which
 suffers from all the objections you raised about Forth), Unstructured
 BASIC (about which said, the less the better), or APL (which I have
 tried, unsuccessfully, to learn three times myself).

 So, based on my own personal experience, I cannot agree that Forth is
 UNSUITABLE for a person with no understanding of computers or
 structured programming.  Not ideal, yes, but unsuitable, no.  Again, I
 find its interactive nature helps a lot for a newcomer.  (Which is why
 I rate it above C as a first language.)

 regards,
 Chris   R:-{O}
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