psychoceramics: Rebirth of Forth (fwd)

[Eugene Leitl <Eugene.Leitl @ lrz.uni-muenchen.de>]

I guess this qualifies nicely... 'gene

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 14 JUL 1997 13:37:23 -0700 
From: Robert Tkoch <robert @ starcenter.com>
Newgroups: comp.lang.forth
Subject: Rebirth of Forth 

Greetings!

 
I am a novice Forth programmer, working with it since 1985. I used it
to write some astronomical programs --- calculating heliocentric
planetary positions, using novel parameters, then projecting the
planetary pattern onto various orbital planes, onto a zodiac that
derived from galactic center.
 
My main interest was to rediscover an ancient astrology which was
highly accurate. I have succeeded in doing so.
 
I chose Forth because it was the only language that allowed freedom
of thought, without confining structures. The more that I used it, the
more I saw its possibilities as the seed for an actual self-development
language for future children, allowing a personal learning curve on
a personal computer, wherein each child could program his own
ideology, plans, diary, and general correlation with the libraries
of all human knowledge. It would allow each person to structure his
own body of knowledge in a unique way, writing the words for this
structuring in a manner that was almost as easy as pure thinking.
 
Then, in early 1986, the Shuttle disaster sent a shock through
the collective psyche, and because women died in that explosion, there
was a wave of mass hysteria from all women --- who were not ready for
the fact that a woman could suddenly go up in flames --- which
caused a reactionary movement in the general outreaching of man into
new areas.
 
The Space program was curtailed, and everyone suddenly became extremely
conservative. Forth, which is a language for free souls, began to lose
ground, being replaced by anthill languages like C. Instead of reaching
out for the stars, humanity turned in upon itself, contenting itself
with petty economics and continuous distraction by meaningless
details about details, especially in its obsession with computers and
their endless little problems.
 
These events were visible in my newly-discovered astrological system.
The indications were that the reactionary phase would endure for
many years. The precise turning-point will be Jan. 11, 1998, but
the changes will begin to be felt somewhat sooner, possibly even
now.

So I am sharing this idea. The male courage will return, the female
hysteria will diminish, and Forth will be reborn.
 
That is, Forth will be reborn where it left off, as a powerful,
growing tool in the hands of the true intelligentsia. It is up to
that intelligentsia to turn Forth, which still has some rough edges,
into a viable organic form, self-complete like a living seed, that
can be cast into the soil of humanity's mind.

To my mind, it is imperative that Forth remain freeform, like thought
itself, capable of playful mathematics or tedious numbering, as
the programmer might wish, but not confined to any one style.

It also seems that better scholars than I would be able to see the
ideational connections between Forth's essential idea and the thought
of Plato, correlating the two so that Forth's evolved structure,
honestly followed, would lead to the same conclusions as Plato's
ideas --- and, conversely, Plato's thought, especially as in "The
Republic," might naturally use Forth to organize its goals.

Therefore: to all Forth programmers who are interested in this language
becoming something great and evolutionary --- I suggest that the time
is soon coming when this can be so. But I believe that it must be
done on its own proper level --- not just as a practical computer
tool, but where evolution converges with intelligence and goodwill,
looking far ahead for everyone's benefit.
 
Thanks for your time and attention.

 
Sincerely,


Robert

Robert Tkoch, astrologer since 1970              r--@s--.com
StarCenter Advanced Galactic Astrology       http://www.starcenter.com
334 State St. #106      Los Altos CA 94022 USA       tel. 408-221-3588