Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C

Date	2012-10-25 21:20 -1000
From	"Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com>
Organization	FORTH, Inc.
Newsgroups	comp.lang.forth
Subject	Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C
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On 10/25/12 6:53 PM, Paul Rubin wrote:
> Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> writes:
>> Well, if pigs could fly ...  I don't believe for a moment that
>> programmers are anything like N x more productive than we were.  It
>> helps to have faster computer so we aren't waiting for things to
>> happen, but the complexity of the systems we use has increased which
>> soaks up a fair bit of that performance improvement.
>
> The faster and much more capacious computers doesn't just mean you're
> not waiting for things, it means you can use pre-existing tools that are
> overkill for the problem at hand just because it's convenient and you
> finish faster.  E.g. instead of spending N months implementing a
> database as part of the system, you'd spend an afternoon setting up an
> SQL server.  Instead of implementing custom message formats and
> communications layers you'd use AMQP or web services or whatever.
> Instead of intricately coded character-oriented screen UI's (I worked on
> those and it was painful) you'd serve some simple web pages and access
> them with browsers.  That doesn't even get to using languages that can
> juggle strings, nested structures, etc. natively, like anything
> reasonable today can.  The programs wouldn't fit in PDP-11's any more,
> but that's not relevant.

The problem is, you're judging Forth by the Standard. Every major 
implementation goes way beyond the standard. FORTH, Inc. has had an 
efficient database system since the 70's (significantly upgraded in the 
late 80's). Likewise existing communication services, using web services 
where appropriate. We have a vast arsenal of tools appropriate to the 
kinds of projects we do, and our customers have, on top of that, 
extensive libraries that are specific to their application domains.

A lot of the folks here are having fun implementing a simple, stripped 
down Forth because it's an interesting exercise. Folks who are serious 
about writing significant applications know where to find the 
professional-level Forth systems they need.

> I put up a url recently (definitely not scientific, but plausible)
> claiming software productivity doubles every 6 years:
>
>     http://people.cs.umass.edu/~yannis/law.html
>
> Look at some SPOJ problems ( http://www.spoj.pl/problems/classical/ )
> and think of how long it would take to do them in Forth compared to
> other possibilities.  This is more of the same.

I can't guess how long it would take to do any of those in any language, 
but I don't see anything there even remotely relevant to the kinds of 
work we do, so I'm not sure why we'd bother. But I seriously doubt it 
would take longer in Forth. A while back we were talking to a customer 
who complained that he couldn't possibly use Forth because we didn't 
have an FFT. We got it working in an hour.

Cheers,
Elizabeth

-- 
==================================================
Elizabeth D. Rather   (US & Canada)   800-55-FORTH
FORTH Inc.                         +1 310.999.6784
5959 West Century Blvd. Suite 700
Los Angeles, CA 90045
http://www.forth.com

"Forth-based products and Services for real-time
applications since 1973."
==================================================

Thread

I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C visualforth@rocketmail.com - 2012-10-23 16:09 -0700
  Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-23 16:43 -0700
  Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C jacko <jackokring@gmail.com> - 2012-10-23 16:50 -0700
    Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-23 18:58 -0700
      Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C jacko <jackokring@gmail.com> - 2012-10-24 15:12 -0700
  Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-23 14:02 -1000
    Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-10-24 02:51 +0200
      Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Mark Wills <forthfreak@gmail.com> - 2012-10-24 04:23 -0700
    Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-23 19:20 -0700
    Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-24 05:04 -0500
      Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-24 08:04 -1000
        Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-24 13:11 -0700
          Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Pavel Klinkovsky <pavel.klinkovsky@gmail.com> - 2012-10-24 13:21 -0700
          Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Fritz Wuehler <fritz@spamexpire-201210.rodent.frell.theremailer.net> - 2012-10-25 20:00 +0200
            Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-25 11:30 -0700
              Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Anonymous <nobody@remailer.paranoici.org> - 2012-10-26 09:00 +0000
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-26 05:01 -0500
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Brad Eckert <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2012-10-26 08:46 -0700
            Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-25 23:05 -0500
              Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Anonymous <nobody@remailer.paranoici.org> - 2012-10-28 15:35 +0000
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-28 12:06 -0500
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-10-28 21:38 +0100
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C jacko <jackokring@gmail.com> - 2012-10-28 16:34 -0700
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Anonymous <nobody@remailer.paranoici.org> - 2012-10-29 10:56 +0000
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-29 06:11 -0500
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2012-10-29 13:51 -0400
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Anonymous <nobody@remailer.paranoici.org> - 2012-10-29 20:45 +0000
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-30 04:20 -0500
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-30 04:16 -0500
    Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2012-10-25 10:04 -0400
      Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-25 14:16 -0700
        Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-25 15:51 -1000
          Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-25 20:14 -0700
            Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-25 23:11 -0500
              Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-25 21:53 -0700
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-26 01:27 -0500
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-26 07:06 -0700
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Andrew Haley <andrew29@littlepinkcloud.invalid> - 2012-10-26 11:34 -0500
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-10-26 19:13 +0200
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C Alex McDonald <blog@rivadpm.com> - 2012-10-27 04:49 -0700
                Re: I Don?t Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-25 21:20 -1000
            Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-25 21:23 -1000
              Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-26 00:53 -0700
          Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C "Stanley Daniel de Liver" <notagoodone@invalid.org.invalid> - 2012-11-21 16:21 +0000
  Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-10-24 06:55 -0400
    Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-24 08:17 -1000
      Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-10-25 00:23 -0400
        Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-24 22:18 -0700
        Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-24 21:47 -1000
          Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-25 11:21 -0700
            Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-25 08:43 -1000
              Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-25 12:18 -0700
              Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-10-26 19:55 -0400
                Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-26 17:38 -1000
            Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Brad Eckert <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2012-10-26 09:07 -0700
          Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-10-26 19:56 -0400
            Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-26 17:47 -1000
              Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-26 22:04 -0700
                Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C visualforth@rocketmail.com - 2012-10-27 07:27 -0700
                Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Bernd Paysan <bernd.paysan@gmx.de> - 2012-10-27 19:14 +0200
    Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Brad Eckert <hwfwguy@gmail.com> - 2012-10-24 11:48 -0700
      Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2012-10-25 19:14 -0400
  Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Hugh Aguilar <hughaguilar96@yahoo.com> - 2012-10-24 10:41 -0700
    Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Pavel Klinkovsky <pavel.klinkovsky@gmail.com> - 2012-10-24 13:10 -0700
      Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C "Elizabeth D. Rather" <erather@forth.com> - 2012-10-24 14:00 -1000
        Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Pavel Klinkovsky <pavel.klinkovsky@gmail.com> - 2012-10-24 23:54 -0700
      Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C "Rod Pemberton" <do_not_have@notemailnotz.cnm> - 2012-10-25 00:29 -0400
        Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-24 22:25 -0700
          Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Pavel Klinkovsky <pavel.klinkovsky@gmail.com> - 2012-10-24 23:57 -0700
        Re: I Don't Make Mistakes. I Use C Pavel Klinkovsky <pavel.klinkovsky@gmail.com> - 2012-10-25 00:11 -0700
    Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C visualforth@rocketmail.com - 2012-10-24 16:14 -0700
      Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C Paul Rubin <no.email@nospam.invalid> - 2012-10-24 17:16 -0700
        Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C visualforth@rocketmail.com - 2012-10-24 17:47 -0700
      Re: I Don’t Make Mistakes. I Use C rickman <gnuarm@gmail.com> - 2012-10-25 10:17 -0400

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