RE: MISC-d Digest V97 #33
- To: "MISC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <MISC>, "'Jeff Fox'" <jfox@xxxxxxxx>
- Subject: RE: MISC-d Digest V97 #33
- From: "M. Edward Borasky" <znmeb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 5 Aug 1997 08:42:58 -0700
The thing I liked most in his talk was the statement that anyone
should be able to learn the language in ten minutes. I couldn't
agree more. I would qualify his statement to say anyone over
the age of ten with an average intelligence and education
should be able to learn his Forth in ten minutes. Teachability
was not one of the original targets in the design of Forth but
it is one of Chuck's targets today. This is in strong contrast
to ANS Forth. You can't teach someone ANS Forth in ten minutes.
With all due respect to Chuck, I don't believe there has ever been a useful programming language that you could teach anyone over the age of ten with average intelligence in ten minutes. I don't believe there has ever been a version of Forth that could be taught in 10 minutes either. The closest thing I know of is a programmable pocket calculator. I believe I could teach a bright 13-year-old how to program one of the old HP (RPN) or TI (algebraic) programmable calculators in about half a day, assuming that the 13-year-old could use the equivalent calculator before learning the programming. I believe I could teach a useful subset of any Forth in two days.
