wmb@sun.uucp (Mitch Bradley) (05/21/84)
FigForth is a set of extremely-similar, very compatible Forth implementations for a number of micros. It was done by the very early members of the Forth Interest Group and was placed in the public domain, in order that the hobbyist community at large could have access to reasonable Forth implementations. This was a very noble effort, and was quite successful. The fig implementation has served as the model for a lot of Forth implementations since then. The term "fig forth" is now often used to mean any forth implementation which is based on the original public-domain implementations or which is compatible with the Forth dialect used by those implementations. Vanilla fig forth is pretty primitive by today's standards. The latest Forth standard is Forth 83, for which an excellent public domain implementation exists. The implementation is called F83. It is available for the 8080, the 8086, and the 68000, all under CP/M. The 8080 and 8086 versions are in the Simtel-20 archives on the ARPANET. All versions are available on disk for $25 each from No Visible Support Software, P.O. Box 1344, 2000 Center Street, Berkeley, CA 94704. An Apple II version is available (with support) for $100 from MicroMotion, 12077 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 506, Los Angeles, CA 90025. MicroMotion also has a book describing the F83 dialect, "Forth Tools", for $20. May the Forth be with you, Mitch Bradley Sun Microsystems, Inc. sun!wmb
dgary@ecsvax.UUCP (05/22/84)
It is probably worth pointing out that FORTH-83 is not compatible at all with
earlier versions of the language. Most published articles and books still use
FORTH-79 or figFORTH. Beginners would be advised to stear clear of the 83
standard for a while, I'd say.
In the meantime, a good public domain FORTH-79 is available: MVP FORTH from
Mountain View Press (they can be reached at (415) 961-4103).
I may regret saying this, but if you're an IBM PC (or compatible) user,
send me TWO diskettes (one for screens and one for the system) and a
stamped, self-addressed mailer and I'll send you a copy of MVP-FORTH
complete with full screen editor and a 17-page document on diskette.
For documentation, I'd suggest Leo Brodie's Starting FORTH and
Dr. Glen B. Haydon's All About FORTH (specific to MVP-FORTH).
Both can be ordered from Mountain View Press if you can't find them
locally.
For the record: I am not connected with Mountain View Press
except as a customer.
D Gary Grady
Duke University Computation Center
127c North Building
Durham, NC 27706
(919) 684--4146
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