Re: Maybe a much simpler syntax

From: Pat Thoyts (cng_at_mfcyng.serrfreir.pb.hx)
Date: 04/05/04 

Date: Mon, 05 Apr 2004 01:35:17 GMT

"Iain B. Findleton" <findletoni@yahoo.com> writes:

>ulis wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I found the Whitespace language have a very simple syntax: 3 logical
>> tokens, 5 commands.
>> The Whitespace tutorial is here:
>> http://compsoc.dur.ac.uk/whitespace/tutorial.php
>>
>> The beginning:
>> Whitespace tutorial
>>
>> The only lexical tokens in the whitespace language are Space (ASCII
>> 32), Tab (ASCII 9) and Line Feed (ASCII 10). By only allowing line
>> feed as a token, CR/LF problems are avoided across DOS/Unix file
>> conversions. (Um, not sure. Maybe we'll sort this in a later
>> version.).
>>
>> The language itself is an imperative, stack based language. Each
>> command consists of a series of tokens, beginning with the Instruction
>> Modification Parameter (IMP). These are listed in the table below.
>>
>> IMP Meaning
>> [Space] Stack Manipulation
>> [Tab][Space] Arithmetic
>> [Tab][Tab] Heap access
>> [LF] Flow Control
>> [Tab][LF] I/O
>>
>> The virtual machine on which programs run has a stack and a heap. The
>> programmer is free to push arbitrary width integers onto the stack
>> (only integers, currently there is no implementation of floating point
>> or real numbers). The heap can also be accessed by the user as a
>> permanent store of variables and data structures.
>>
>> Many commands require numbers or labels as parameters. Numbers can be
>> any number of bits wide, and are simply represented as a series of
>> [Space] and [Tab], terminated by a [LF]. [Space] represents the binary
>> digit 0, [Tab] represents 1. The sign of a number is given by its
>> first character, [Space] for positive and [Tab] for negative. Note
>> that this is not twos complement, it just indicates a sign.
>>
>> Labels are simply [LF] terminated lists of spaces and tabs. There is
>> only one global namespace so all labels must be unique.
>>
>> Have fun!
>>
>> ulis
>
>Just what I have been looking for. I am issuing a directive to all
>programmers that, effective immediately, whitespace is the language of
>development for all our products.
>
>Just think of what could be done if a browser plugin for this was
>available! It would make Microsoft stuff look secure!
>

Heh heh. Not too hard in fact. See BrainScript http://brainscript.sf.net/ 

-- 
Pat Thoyts          http://www.zsplat.freeserve.co.uk/resume.html
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