[ColorForth] pre-parsed source and code sharing

["t" <loveall@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Wednesday, July 24, 2002 Mark Slicker wrote:

> Previously some comments were made that the pre-parsed format of
> colorForth inhibits code sharing. I believe it really improves code
> sharing.

<snip>

> This is all I could think of at the moment, I'm interested in the counter
> argument, for ASCII against pre-parsed.

The problem with colorForth is not in it's internal text format. The problem
with colorForth, as a shared development environment, is in it's design.

Chuck Moore on Forth:

"You have to really understand the problem. You have to go in there and read it
all, and then think about it, and say what they are really trying to do is this
and then do that. Which is much much simpler than what they were doing."

(-- my response
There are two parts to completely understanding a problem:
a) understanding the problem that one is confronted with,
b) understanding the tools available to solve the problem.
Merging the two provides for the most optimum solution.

The more fundamental the symbol set is for the tools, the simpler the
expression of the problem can become. You start with a most simple set and
build the most elegant logic (chain) structures that express the problem.

One cannot properly, completely understand a tool without having (re)built it
ones self.

If one builds a tool set specifically for ones self, that still leaves the
problem of communicating said solutions to other humans. One can either build
ones tools to include communication with other humans or one must provide a
bridge for communication, after the fact.
---)

colorForth and OKAD were designed to a set of specifications which it most
admirably meets. CAD in less than 20k that produces CPU designs with a 1000
times fewer transistors. The output is a file that is acceptable to a silicon
foundry. I find no reference in any of Chucks talks about sharing source code
as part of his spec. All that he required was that colorForth could read/write
a memory image to floppy.

The design spec was not about easy communication of source between programmers.
Had it been, then colorForth would have included something that facilitates
_easy_ communication between colorForth computers. Sneakernet does not qualify.

What are the design parameters for colorForth as a shared development
environment? The Zen of colorForth says the best user interface is the least
user interface, but the Tao of colorForth says fit the code to the design.

Note: Chuck wrote the colorForth kernel in ASCII text for the MASM assembler
(which has actually produced the most corroborative efforts over the last
year). He corresponds using Outlook Express. He does not use colorForth to
write his text and then export it with the utility he has in OKAD for doing so.
Would you?

Regards,
Terry Loveall
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