In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
Roy Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>I would add to that list PostScript. Most people think of it as just
>format for print files, but it's a a real general-purpose programming
>language, and a cool one at that (with an clear similarity to FORTH).
Having used both PostScript (a lot) and FORTH (a little), let me say
that their similarities are more superficial and their differences more
subtle. FORTH has a definite compilation step prior to interpretation,
whereas PostScript is very much a purely-interpreted language. A quick
illustration of some differences:
FORTH you love if honk then
vs
PostScript you love {honk} if
>The
>stack-based paradigm can be a bit mind bending if you're not used to it,
>but bending your mind is the whole point of learning something new.
Even after you learn it, the stack-based paradigm is very easy to get
into trouble with. I started putting diagram comments in my PostScript
code, to remind myself of the state of the stack at various points.
Unfortunately it didn't have very good local variables, which would have
helped avoid overuse of the stack.
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