From: jkn+nin@nicorp.co.uk   
      
   On 11/02/2026 00:21, dxf wrote:   
   > On 11/02/2026 4:48 am, jkn wrote:   
   >> ...   
   >> I have no skin in this game at all - I am basically an observer of both the   
   language,   
   >> and this newsgroup. But it seems strange to me that in a language that is so   
   >> self-describedly flexible as Forth, the operation of the inner interpreter   
   should   
   >> not itself be open to flexibility.   
   >   
   > IIRC recognizers was a c.l.f invention.  Each forth, it was noted, had its   
   own way   
   > of integrating floating-point into the system - fp being an 'optional   
   extension'   
   > of Forth-94.  Typically integration was achieved through hooks the system   
   designer   
   > had purposely built into system.  Forth-94 had already defined how the forth   
   > interpreter should handle fp numbers.  Parsing words F# etc were not an   
   option.   
   >   
   > WIBN (wouldn't it be nice) it was argued if these hooks into the interpreter   
   could   
   > be made portable.  It caught the imagination of sufficient users (in forth   
   there's   
   > little distinction between user and system-designer) and the rest is history.   
   > Recognizers were sufficiently complicated prompting more justification than   
   fp (1)   
   > in order to sell it.  It was 'a solution in search of a problem'.  From that   
   came   
   > the idea that forth should be able to parse *anything* - however unlikely or   
   little   
   > used.   
   >   
   > (1) While fp integration prompted recognizers, recognizers were never a   
   complete   
   > solution.  Integrating fp into a system often requires more than simply   
   making the   
   > interpreter recognize fp numbers.  System-specific hooks remain.   
   >   
      
    > From that came   
    > the idea that forth should be able to parse *anything* - however   
    >unlikely or little   
    > used.   
      
   I was a bit surprised that "a space delimits 'symbols'" has not been   
   made more flexible...   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)