Hello; I just learned about Factor today, and signed up for this mailing list.
I have programmed in Forth all of my life. I wrote the MFX cross-compiler for
the MiniForth processor at Testra, but I haven't worked there in many years now.
Currently, I am writing a library of functions that can be used for generating
gcode for CNC machines. There is to be a basic library, and then extensions
specific to the different machines. I have experience with 5-axis laser
cutters, milling machines, and lathes, so I would want to support these at
least. I have started with FICL. Now that I have discovered Factor I am
considering using it instead.
Does anybody know of any projects using Factor (or FICL, or Python, or Ruby, or
anything else) for gcode generation?
How safe is Factor? For a company to let factory-floor employees program some
CAM software, they have to be sure that incompetent (or malicious) employees
don't crash their computer, and definitely not their server. Does the Factor
virtual-machine have safeguards similar to Java's to keep everybody inside of a
"walled garden" where they can't do any harm? Right now, most CAM software is
used only in the front-office, but the flunkies on the floor (me!) aren't
allowed to touch it. My goal with this project is to make CAM available to
people who normally only get to work with raw gcode.
Does anybody have an opinion on Factor compared to FICL? How are they for
speed? How are they for ease of incorporating C (or Objective-C) code? How do
their OOP systems compare?
Does anybody have an opinion on Factor compared to Python or Ruby?
Right now, my project is called CAMF, which means "Computer-Aided Manufacturing
from FICL." Who knows though, maybe I will change the `F' to mean Factor. Ruby
seems to have found a home as a website framework, with the Rails project. I
need to find a language to be a CNC framework. It has to be easy enough that
machinists with little or no programming experience (other than writing gcode)
can use it, but still robust enough to do the job. Maybe Factor will be to CNC
what Ruby is to websites!
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