ScuzzBlog: Diaries August 2024
Entry 18th August 2024: Post 1: Jupiter Ace - May the Forth be with you.
Jupiter Ace - May the Forth be with you.
When I was active on the Yahoo Groups I recall this one guy being
mad on the Jupiter Ace and particularly its operating system with
Forth at the helm. He constantly raved at the simplicity of the
system, and yet for me , like many others, the notion of a less
than main stream system being at the heart of your computer kinda
was an anathema to me. Why would I invest my money and time in a
computer that was so different from any of the others.
Consequently I never have tried to embrace Forth or even try to
understand it. Today I dragged out the Jupiter Ace and again tried
to get my head round it with little if any success. The only thing
I did learn was that it was used on Star Wars.
Forth is a stack-oriented programming language and interactive
integrated development environment. It was first designed by Charles
H Moore and first used in 1970.
Forth combines a compiler with the integrated command shell and
the user interacts using subroutines called words. These can be
defined , tested, redefined and debugged without recompiling the
program. The variables and operators are all defined by words.
The main benefit of Forth was size with the whole working environment
and program including compiler could fit easily onto 8 bit limited
systems.
Whilst appearing somewhat a niche language it has found its way
onto Apple, IBM, Sun, Atari systems. Many games published by
Electronic Arts in the 1980s used Forth. Amazingly the Forth
programming language was used in the production of the Star Wars
Episode IV - The New Hope. Notably the precise calibration and
camera movement for the Death Star sequence.
Anyhoo I had thought I would photograph pages from the book but I
was troubled I may damage the spine so opted to download the manual
from the internet. There is a site out there in a galaxy far far
away that lets you download all the various books and manuals for
the Jupiter Ace.
Sadly she is back in her box never to see the light of day for
another good few years. She hasn't faded and still looks very white.
I do have Forth+ for the Commodore 64 maybe I should give that a
go one of these days. Or not. Probably not.
Do you know I have never like ever watched Battlestar Galactica.
Unrelated, never mind .....
Jupiter Ace - May the Forth be with you.
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Last updated 18th August 2024
Chandraise Kingdom
Keep the Faith
scuzzscink 2024