[OT] RE: counter++ versus

[Dar Scott]

On Thursday, March 25, 2004, at 01:38 PM, Kevin wrote:

> I realize that comparing Forth to xTalk/Transcript is in many ways is 
> akin to comparing apples to oranges.  However, they are both TILs and 
> suffer many of the same design problems.

Forth is a TIL by spec.  That level is exposed.  Regardless of how 
Transcript is implemented and even if it is implemented as a TIL, it is 
not a TIL at the visible level.  Perhaps some versions or platforms of 
the engine (past, present or future) might compile directly into 
machine code or Java byte-code.  It doesn't matter.

> I would appreciate any documentation on how the Revolution engine 
> works so I may educate myself.  In fact I would love access to the 
> engine source in the hope of speeding up the engines.

I'd enjoy that, too, but I doubt that will happen.  I make optimization 
wisecracks once in a while instead.

What can happen is providing more detailed Transcript syntax and 
semantics info.  Maybe better parsing tools.  This will allow you and 
me to work at the Transcript level instead of some imaginary and 
inaccessible TIL level.

> I believe that Runtime would greatly benefit from the release of the 
> engine source under some Open Source style license.  I say this since 
> it is my perception that Runtime’s primary investment in the 
> Revolution product line is their RAD/GUI.

A year or so ago, RunRev bought engine technology and more from 
Metacard.  I have almost zero info about that deal and what I know was 
mentioned publicly, but I would guess that that was a substantial 
investment in money and commitment.  Recent license changes and 
discussion of some engine changes lead me to believe that RunRev's 
current philosophy is to keep this close to the chest.

There are implications of the compiling scheme that are important for 
the developer to know about.  For example, a change in audio commands 
causes some older stacks to break on newer engines after working a 
while if the audio commands are in parts not compiled right away.  
There is some link between externals and compiling, but I'm not sure 
exactly what that is.

Though that below Transcript is hidden, all that above is wide open!

Dar Scott