A followup to yesterday's article 'Why does this work?', with questions and answers and some references to folks from whom I have learned.

A reader wonders why I seem never to dig a hole I can't readily get out of. It is curious, isn't it? If this article raises questions for you, please ask them! (More in subsequent article.)

Well, our creation of Heap yesterday went smoothly, but it was all we did. Let's review the Forth code a bit more and see what it might be wishing for.

Now that CREATE-DOES> works, and I am reasonably confident that I have it right, let's review the code and check out the concerns left open last time. A perfect morning. (Added: P.S.

This time it's going to work, I'm sure of it. I promise not to change the title, or the blurb up to the next period if it doesn't. (Results: As predicted! Out of the park! Yay, team!)

I come before you today armed with information, if not knowledge. We'll try some small steps toward what I think I somewhat understand.

I fully expect to fail this morning: I don't see how to do what I need to do. I'll try to fail in a way that sets me up for a win sometime soon. Result: Bah!

I just deleted this morning's entire article. On purpose. Here's why.

I think we'll do variables and constants today. I also feel a pivot coming on. Unless I'm just hungry.

Interesting though compiled immediate words might be, I decide that variables are more important. I experiment with a somewhat smart heap and then, suddenly, realize how much we can do with a very rudimentary heap. I think we're onto something good!

If we're to be able to define compiler words with colon definitions, we'll need better access to the word under construction. I see options, vaguely. And I need information. Design musing here, little more. TL;DR may apply. We have an amazing interlude. We end with a Dangerously Clever Idea.

After this morning's somewhat lackluster performance, I do a bit of off-line refactoring and now I think we'll do a Lexicon. Can't hurt, might help.

There's refactoring to be done, including, possibly, some Big Changes. What shall we do? How shall we proceed? (Results: Two small steps; much confusion.)

My "friends" have well and truly nerd-sniped me. We're going to digress to look at Forth's tiny primitives that can be used to build words like IF-ELSE-THEN and such. Spoiler: A lot of thinking, and then a tiny but significant SUCCESS!

I've come up with an interesting possibility for reducing method clutter. Let's see what we think. (We think we like it!)

And so, Forth. Here chez Ron, it's another morning with Python and Forth. Some new year wishes within. Read on. (Spoiler: As often happens, things do not unfold as I anticipated. No worries.)

Unless I am mistaken, which is often the case, this morning's refactoring is going to be fine, F-I-N-E FINE. And I do not mean the meme, I mean really fine.

I think our little Forth is working as so far intended. Let's improve the code. Some thought on the original Forth(s).

I think I see, vaguely, what needs to be done to get our Forth to accept any Forth string and execute it. I am hopeful, if not entirely confident. Spoiler: It works!!!

We need to change our little Forth so that it can 'compile' and execute any Forth code, not just compile definitions. I'm expecting trouble and will regroup in that case. Results: I do a little refactoring and decide to regroup.