The Repo on GitHub

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

This morning’s work, at least two hours or more, has just been consigned to the trash folder. I have learned that my concern from yesterday remains true. Either or both of these are true, I think both:

  • My bottom level Forth definitions are too abstract and need even more primitive underlying words;
  • I do not understand well enough how to implement Forth.

I implemented the tick and comma operators. I am sure that they were working as specified. But I have been unable to put them into play in the fashion they are intended to be used. I think that’s because my underlying compiler words are not quite right for doing things in the fashion that tick and comma require, but I am not sure what is really wrong or what to do about it.

I am reading a B-level thriller series, Orphan X, by Gregg Hurwitz. They’re a bit brutal, but I am sort of enjoying them. I’ll turn back to cozy fantasy mysteries soon, I think.

One lesson that Orphan X learns while he is being trained from youth to be a good-guy but nonetheless lethal killer, is “Next time”. He is taught that when he is learning, he should focus on being better “next time”. That’s not to say that he’s not supposed to be perfect now, just that you get there incrementally by being better next time.

Relatedly, I am fond of quoting Beckett: “Fail better”.

Rather than expose you to hundreds of lines of words describing the flawed thinking behind code that all gets rolled back, I’ll just wish you a pleasant day and hope that I’ll see you … next time!