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Forth on Windows computer

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  • 14-12-2020 1:05pm
    #1
    rock22
    Registered Users Posts: 1,547 ✭✭✭


    I am looking for a Forth installation for a Windows computer.

    Not sure what is up to date or available anymore so any help much apprecviated.

    I have done a little searching and some installs are expensive. i am in the hobbyist bracket so for a cheaper , or even free, installation.

    Thanks


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    #2
    JoyPad
    Registered Users Posts: 1,701 ✭✭✭JoyPad


    If you're using Windows 10, I would strongly recommend installing the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
    After that, you can install and run Linux apps on Windows, including GForth.


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    #3
    rock22
    Registered Users Posts: 1,547 ✭✭✭rock22


    Thanks Joypad
    Is there a reason not to use the Windows installations?


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    #4
    JoyPad
    Registered Users Posts: 1,701 ✭✭✭JoyPad


    rock22 wrote: »
    Thanks Joypad
    Is there a reason not to use the Windows installations?

    By all means, if those work for you, go ahead. You might run into compatibility issues, running an app that was meant for Windows XP on Windows 10.

    Personally, I have developed on Linux and Mac for so long, I could not do much without command-line tools. And Linux-on-Windows10 is so much better than PowerShell.


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    #5
    rock22
    Registered Users Posts: 1,547 ✭✭✭rock22


    Thanks JoyPad
    Do you develop much in Forth?

    I played around with it about 40ys ago but , now retired, i want to rekindle that interest.


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    #6
    JoyPad
    Registered Users Posts: 1,701 ✭✭✭JoyPad


    rock22 wrote: »
    Thanks JoyPad
    Do you develop much in Forth?

    I played around with it about 40ys ago but , now retired, i want to rekindle that interest.

    Not in the past 30 years, no.

    I am currently developing in Scala, and Java before that, and C++ before that, and Pascal for a while before that, going back to 1990 or so.

    If you are looking for a challenge, I'd say learn Scala. It's an amazing language, and you can use it with modern tools that are free on every OS. There's a free class on coursera.org, download IntelliJ Community Edition, and off you go.


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    #7
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,708 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    rock22 wrote: »
    Thanks JoyPad
    Do you develop much in Forth?

    I played around with it about 40ys ago but , now retired, i want to rekindle that interest.

    Ex Jupiter Ace owner maybe? I remember doing a bit of Forth programming on the Spectrum in the 80s as it was faster than BASIC but ditched it in favour of Pascal and assembler.


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    #8
    rock22
    Registered Users Posts: 1,547 ✭✭✭rock22


    Thanks JoyPad and Smacl,
    I first used Forth on a HP-85 , which was an expensive works computer, sometime mid 80's. i did later buy a Jupiter Ace for my own use.

    I did use an assembler on the HP but it had a unique HP processor and it was hard to get information of the instruction set. I also used UCSD Pascal. With the introduction of the IBM PC , and equivalent MS-DOS based machines, i switched to Turbo Pascal and eventually Delphi. I now restrict myself to C# for desktop applications and Java for Android coding.

    I have a particular idea for Forth. It always struck me as ideal for machine control, it was designed originally for controlling large telescopes. I would never use it to replace C# or Java although things might have moved on a bit since the 80s'. But i want to learn about CNC and play around with motor control.

    I managed to download an exe file for GForth version 7.0. I also downloaded a gz file for Version 7.3 but i cannot unzip it. I suspect I need a gzip utility to do that. For my use, , playing around, Version 7.0 might be fine. I have quite al lot to re-learn.

    Thanks for the help


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    #9
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,708 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    7Zip should handle that GZIP file for you; https://www.7-zip.org/download.html Wrote a lot of code in Turbo Pascal back in the day before switching to C, C++ and then becoming stuck in the mud :) Doing a bit of Python too these days with my daughter which is good fun.


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    #10
    rock22
    Registered Users Posts: 1,547 ✭✭✭rock22


    Thanks Smacl, I will give it a go and hopefully will work.

    Interesting, you tried the Turbo Pascal route too. In more recent years I have stuck to the 'free' options of MS Visual Studio and C# or Android Studio and Java. There does seem to be ioptions for embedded Forth and small processor systems but it is a whole new world to me so I need to learn a bit more in the New Year and see how it goes

    Thanks for the Link


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    #11
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,708 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    rock22 wrote: »
    Thanks Smacl, I will give it a go and hopefully will work.

    Interesting, you tried the Turbo Pascal route too. In more recent years I have stuck to the 'free' options of MS Visual Studio and C# or Android Studio and Java. There does seem to be ioptions for embedded Forth and small processor systems but it is a whole new world to me so I need to learn a bit more in the New Year and see how it goes

    Thanks for the Link

    Yes indeed, still have the old manual on a shelf behind me kept for older stuff, along with my Vax C user guide, Rodney Zaks 'Programming the Z80', original 'Hackers Handbook' and CP/M and Unix/Xenix manuals. State of the turbo manual gives you an idea of the amount of use it got.

    536610.jpg

    All Visual Studio on MSDN subscription for my work stuff these days and Anaconda and Jupityr for Python. Funny enough I still also use some Pascal for my GUI automation testing which has Delphi under the hood SFAIK.


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    #12
    rock22
    Registered Users Posts: 1,547 ✭✭✭rock22


    I really liked Turbo Pascal. I thnk i have a mind that appreciates structured programming. I readily adopted to Object Orientated programming . Forth of is in many ways the opposite to that but I do feel it has a real use in motor control .I will probably get an Arduino and a few small stepper motors in the new Year and see .


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