Invitation to FORTH

by Harry Katzan Jr.

INVITATION TO FORTH The latest entry in the ever changing universe of programming languages is FORTH. A crisp, straightforward language that not only lends itself to the programming of microcomputers, it is equally useful for "larger computers." In fact, the size or type of computer is not at all significant to the prospective user of FORTH. FORTH is a language for doing functional programming, with a specific orientation towards productivity, reliability and efficiency. Included in its capabilities are structured programming, top-down development and virtual memory. How-ever, FORTH is not merely a focal point for popular concepts. It represents a modern way of approaching programming. The structure of a FORTH program and the FORTH language itself is based on reverse Polish notation or post-fix notation, as some computer scientists call it. This basic philosophy combined with an effective definitional structure permits a high degree of language flexibility and the ability to customize the language to the requirements of a particular application environment. This book provides an introduction to the FORTH language and is intended for persons who will program in the language and for persons who will design systems and applications around the language. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Harry Katzan, Jr. is a consultant. Formerly he was Chairman of the Department of Computer Science at Pratt Institutes. He is the author of numerous books in the fields of computer science and data processing, among which the following were published by Petrocelli Books, Inc.: • INVITATION TO PASCAL • AN INTRODUCTION TO DISTRIBUTED DATA PROCESSING • DISTRIBUTED INFORMATION SYSTEMS • THE STANDARD DATA ENCRYPTION ALGORITHM

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Professor of Computer Information Systems, Savannah State University.