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RfC: Foreword

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Problem
=======

A number of people have commented on the two Forewords, asking why
we have retained the Foreword to ANS Forth.  As this is a derived work,
keeping the original foreword seemed like a good idea.  I also liked
introduction.  However, I accept this can lead to confusion.

Solution
========

Replace both Forewords with one new Foreword, given below.

Proposal
========

1) Remove the Foreword (to Forth 200x/2012)

2) Remove the Foreword to ANS Forth

3) Add the following Foreword.

     Foreword
     ========

     Forth is a language for direct communication between human beings
     and machines. Using natural-language diction and machine-oriented
     syntax, Forth provides an economical, productive environment for
     interactive compilation and execution of programs. Forth also
     provides low-level access to computer-controlled hardware, and the
     ability to extend the language itself. This extensibility allows the
     language to be quickly expanded and adapted to special needs and
     different hardware systems.

     Forth was invented by Mr. Charles Moore to increase programmer
     productivity without sacrificing machine efficiency. Forth is a
     layered environment containing the elements of a computer language
     as well as those of an operating system and a machine monitor. This
     extensible, layered environment provides for highly interactive
     program development and testing.

     In the interests of transportability of application software written
     in Forth, standardization efforts began in the mid-1970s by an
     international group of users and implementors who adopted the name
     "Forth Standards Team". This effort resulted in the Forth-77 Standard.
     As the language continued to evolve, an interim Forth-78 Standard
     was published by the Forth Standards Team. Following Forth Standards
     Team meetings in 1979, the Forth-79 Standard was published in 1980.
     Major changes were made by the Forth Standards Team in the Forth-83
     Standard, which was published in 1983.

     The ANS Forth committee was formed in 1987 to address the
     fragmentation within the Forth community caused not only by the
     difference between Forth 79 and Forth 83 but the exploitation of
     technical developments. Undertaking a comprehensive review of
     existing implementations they moved away from prescribing stringent
     requirements, preferring to describe the operation of the virtual
     machine, without reference to an implementation.  The ANS Forth
     Standard was published in 1994 [1] and was adopted as an
     international standard in 1997 [2].

     The Forth Standards Committee was formed in 2004 to allow the Forth
     community to contribute to a rolling document. Changes were proposed
     and discussed in the electronic media:  the comp.lang.forth news
     group; the forth200x@yahoogroups.com email list; the www.forth200x.org
     web site. An annual public meeting was held to review and vote on
     the proposed changes. The resulting document is known as the Forth
     200x Standard.

     This document is a snapshot of that rolling document, representing
     the outcome of the public review meetings first held on
     October 21-22, 2005 in Santander and subsequently on September
     14-15, 2006 (Cambridge), September 13-14, 2007 (Dagstuhl),
     September 25--26, 2008 (Vienna), March 25-27, 2009 (Neuenkirchen,
     Rheine), September 2-4, 2009 (Exeter), March 24-26, 2010 (Rostock),
     September 22-24, 2010 (Hamburg), September 21-23, 2011 (Vienna),
     September 12-14, 2012 (Oxford).

     [1] ANSI X3.215-1994 Information Systems --- Programming Language
         FORTH

     [2] ISO/IEC 15145:1997 Information technology.  Programming
         languages. FORTH

Discussion
==========

The first three paragraphs are taken directly from the old Foreword
to ANS Forth.  Paragraph 4 and 5 are a précis of sections C.4, C.5,
C.6. The final paragraph is effectively a list of dates.

Except for the last paragraph, this forward should serve both the
rolling document (200x) and the snapshot (2012).

-- 
Peter Knaggs

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Thread

RfC: Foreword "Peter Knaggs" <pjk@bcs.org.uk> - 2012-12-17 19:40 +0000
  Re: Foreword "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-12-17 17:40 -0500
    Re: Foreword "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-12-17 21:55 -1000
      Re: Foreword "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-12-18 19:22 -0500
        Re: Foreword Peter Knaggs <pjk@bcs.org.uk> - 2012-12-19 10:03 +0000
          Re: Foreword "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-12-21 02:39 -0500
          Re: Foreword "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-12-20 22:16 -1000
        Re: Foreword rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2012-12-19 16:09 -0500
          Re: Foreword "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-12-21 02:20 -0500
        Re: Foreword "Ed" <invalid@nospam.com> - 2012-12-23 00:43 +1100
          Re: Foreword "A. K." <akk@nospam.org> - 2012-12-22 16:44 +0100
            Re: Foreword "Ed" <invalid@nospam.com> - 2012-12-27 19:54 +1100
              Re: Foreword Alex McDonald <blog@rivadpm.com> - 2012-12-27 05:36 -0800
                Re: Foreword Alex McDonald <blog@rivadpm.com> - 2012-12-27 05:40 -0800
          Re: Foreword Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-12-22 10:07 -0600
  Re: RfC: Foreword "A. K." <akk@nospam.org> - 2012-12-18 08:27 +0100
    Re: RfC: Foreword Elizabeth D Rather <erather@forth.com> - 2012-12-17 22:24 -1000
      Re: RfC: Foreword "A. K." <akk@nospam.org> - 2012-12-18 20:38 +0100
        Re: RfC: Foreword "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-12-18 09:54 -1000
          Re: RfC: Foreword "A. K." <akk@nospam.org> - 2012-12-18 22:00 +0100
            Re: RfC: Foreword "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-12-18 11:21 -1000
              Re: RfC: Foreword "A. K." <akk@nospam.org> - 2012-12-20 07:56 +0100
                Re: RfC: Foreword Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-12-20 03:38 -0600
                Re: RfC: Foreword "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-12-21 02:20 -0500
                Re: RfC: Foreword Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-12-21 04:02 -0600
          Re: RfC: Foreword "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-12-18 19:24 -0500
            Re: RfC: Foreword Alex McDonald <blog@rivadpm.com> - 2012-12-18 22:46 -0800
              Re: RfC: Foreword "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-12-21 02:21 -0500
                Re: RfC: Foreword Alex McDonald <blog@rivadpm.com> - 2012-12-21 15:24 -0800

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