I learned Snobol and then wrote a toy Forth
a year ago
- #Forth
- #Snobol
- #Programming
- The author learned Snobol, a language focused on pattern matching, and found it fascinating due to its purity and simplicity.
- Snobol programs consist of five optional parts per line: label, subject, pattern, replacement, and goto, making it unique compared to modern languages.
- The author implemented a toy Forth interpreter in Snobol to test their understanding, choosing to execute the '99 Bottles of Beer' program as a target.
- The Forth interpreter, named Snobol4th, is less than 500 lines of Snobol and serves as a personal project to explore language concepts.
- The author recommends using a small target program when testing new toy programming languages to ensure practical understanding.
- The project was done as a late-night endeavor, using an MNT Pocket Reform computer and artwork created with Krita.