Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]


Groups > comp.lang.postscript > #1063

Re: What language was the "original" Postscript interpreter written in?

From "luser.droog" <luser.droog@gmail.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.postscript
Subject Re: What language was the "original" Postscript interpreter written in?
Date 2012-11-19 00:56 -0600
Organization unorganized
Message-ID <k8cla4$lmp$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References <k86k8q$1sl$1@dont-email.me> <agppugFhligU1@mid.individual.net>

Show all headers | View raw


Don Lancaster wrote:

> On 11/16/2012 5:03 PM, luser.droog wrote:
>> I know Helmar was implementing array-"operators" very early in his
>> interpreter so that as much as possible could be built on top of a
>> simpler core. And ghostscript's docs express a an interest in replacing
>> c-level operators with higher-level ps equivalents in a similar drive
>> towards portability.
>>
>> What is the subset of Postscript necessary to implement the rest of
>> Postscript using it? And what did Adobe use to create this core? M68000
>> Assembly? Or did they use C? or some weird custom Alto tool?
>>
>>
> 
> 
> PostScript was largely based on the concepts of Forth.
> 
> Third cousin, twice removed.
> 

I greatly appreciate your response, but...
I already knew that. And it's not quite true. Both Forth and Postscript (via
JaM via E&S Design System) drew inspiration from the Stack Architecture
used by Burroughs Large Systems. John Warnock has denied any borrowing from
Forth.

I've got every Postscript book Amazon knows about. I'm looking for info
that's not in the books.

I have a sneaking suspicion that they used a custom Assembler using
something like M4. (Don't bother searching for PS+M4; you'll just find my
earlier question :)

Back to comp.lang.postscript | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread


Thread

What language was the "original" Postscript interpreter written in? "luser.droog" <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2012-11-16 18:03 -0600
  Re: What language was the "original" Postscript interpreter written in? Don Lancaster <don@tinaja.com> - 2012-11-17 08:48 -0700
    Re: What language was the "original" Postscript interpreter written in? "luser.droog" <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2012-11-19 00:56 -0600
      Re: What language was the "original" Postscript interpreter written in? luser- -droog <mijoryx@yahoo.com> - 2013-07-19 23:34 -0700

csiph-web