Does anyone program in Forth?

Nate the great · 11-06-2009, 04:21 PM

The WikiReader runs programs written in Forth. Does anyone have any experience with this language?

pdurrant · 11-06-2009, 05:30 PM

Many, many years ago.

Forth is a stack based language, rather like PostScript. Or more accurately, PostScript is rather like Forth, since Forth has been around longer.

There was even one a UK home computer that ran a Forth interpreter, rather than a BASIC interpreter.

What's WikiReader?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

The WikiReader runs programs written in Forth. Does anyone have any experience with this language?

kovidgoyal · 11-06-2009, 06:25 PM

People that live along the firth of Forth?

Nate the great · 11-06-2009, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

What's WikiReader?

this:
www.thewikireader.com

pdurrant · 11-06-2009, 06:49 PM

Oh, neat.

Now put Project Gutenberg on it....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

this:
www.thewikireader.com

Nate the great · 11-06-2009, 08:22 PM

I went looking for more information, and according to the wiki the WikiReader itself has a Forth compiler. So all we would need to do is copy the source file to the SD card.

wodin · 11-06-2009, 11:37 PM

I played with a little back in my programming days, thirty years ago. The ability to define your own "words" made it interesting, but I could never wrap my head around the RPN notation.

I've since forgotten everything I might have ever known about it!

pdurrant · 11-07-2009, 04:59 AM

I've looked a little further. Although there's a forth interpreter included on the SD Card, this is really only for testing purposes. Most of the code is written in C or python.

The device has a tiny boot loader that load the actual kernal from the SD Card, so to make a Project Gutenberg SD Card you need to compile a special KERNAL.ELF file.

It looks fascinating. The screen is only 240x202, but a monochrome LCD is usually quite readable. I'm very tempted to get one just to play with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I went looking for more information, and according to the wiki the WikiReader itself has a Forth compiler. So all we would need to do is copy the source file to the SD card.

pdurrant · 11-07-2009, 05:32 AM

Well, I've ordered one. A battery-powered touchscreen device with three buttons, that can run for months on 2 AAA batteries? What's not to like?

:-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

this:
www.thewikireader.com

Nate the great · 11-07-2009, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I've looked a little further. Although there's a forth interpreter included on the SD Card, this is really only for testing purposes. Most of the code is written in C or python.

It may only be intended for testing purposes, but it's there. Why not use it?

When you get your device, press and hold the search button before you turn it on. You will see a list of programs. All (most?) are written in Forth.

The attached zip file contains the forth files from my wikireader.

tompe · 11-07-2009, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

The WikiReader runs programs written in Forth. Does anyone have any experience with this language?

Forth is fun to program. And it very easy to write an interpretator for it so I have used Forth like languages as embedded languages sometimes.

pdurrant · 11-07-2009, 05:53 PM

Ah - I see.

Yes, writing forth does sound fun, and probably easier to start with than re-writing/compiling the kernel.elf file.

textview.4th looks interesting.

How do you find the screen? What's it like in different lighting conditions?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

It may only be intended for testing purposes, but it's there. Why not use it?

When you get your device, press and hold the search button before you turn it on. You will see a list of programs. All (most?) are written in Forth.

The attached zip file contains the forth files from my wikireader.

exvaxman · 11-08-2009, 08:58 PM

wrote a PC layout package on a CPM based 8 bit micro for my grad project.
I might have to pick one up to play with.....

sporkinum · 11-10-2009, 05:26 PM

I read a message online from one of the developers that Project Gutenberg is on their roadmap. I don't know if it would be a seperate sd card, or an application on the current one since there is about 3gb free on it.

I have started messing around with trying to compile the source so I can change the boot graphic. It has to be 160 pixels wide at maximum, monochrome, and the pixel count has to be divisible by 8. I am having a few issues, but hope to figure it out.

pdurrant · 11-11-2009, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

How do you find the screen? What's it like in different lighting conditions?

Well, my WikiReader has now arrived. It's rather impressive.

The screen is not backlit, and sem to be a reflective B&W display - well black and silver/grey. Contrast in indoor lighting a bit worse than eInk, but not too bad at all. It gets better in brighter light. The surface is glossy - and seems to be glass.

Switch on time to the search screen is less than two seconds. The searching using an on-screen keyboard is very good, and for finding something in the off-line copy of Wikipedia i works very well.

The memory is a micro SDHC, removable through the battery compartment.

I like it. I shall have great fun playing with it, especially if I can get the kernal compiled up and working, so that I can tweak it.

Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

11-06-2009, 04:21 PM	#1
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	Does anyone program in Forth? The WikiReader runs programs written in Forth. Does anyone have any experience with this language?

11-08-2009, 08:58 PM	#13
exvaxman Connoisseur Posts: 66 Karma: 38 Join Date: Mar 2006	wow - haven't thought of forth in years wrote a PC layout package on a CPM based 8 bit micro for my grad project. I might have to pick one up to play with.....

11-10-2009, 05:26 PM	#14
sporkinum Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Wikireader	Project Gutenberg I read a message online from one of the developers that Project Gutenberg is on their roadmap. I don't know if it would be a seperate sd card, or an application on the current one since there is about 3gb free on it. I have started messing around with trying to compile the source so I can change the boot graphic. It has to be 160 pixels wide at maximum, monochrome, and the pixel count has to be divisible by 8. I am having a few issues, but hope to figure it out.

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11-06-2009, 06:25 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,146 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	People that live along the firth of Forth?

11-06-2009, 08:22 PM	#6
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	I went looking for more information, and according to the wiki the WikiReader itself has a Forth compiler. So all we would need to do is copy the source file to the SD card.

11-06-2009, 11:37 PM	#7
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	I played with a little back in my programming days, thirty years ago. The ability to define your own "words" made it interesting, but I could never wrap my head around the RPN notation. I've since forgotten everything I might have ever known about it!

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