Software Ser.: Starting FORTH : An Introduction to the FORTH Language

\"Starting Forth: An Introduction to the Forth Language and Operating System for Beginners and Professionals\" is a classic programming textbook written by Leo Brodie and first published in 1981. [1]Widely considered the definitive, gold-standard introduction to the Forth programming language, the book was created in collaboration with FORTH, Inc. and features a foreword by the creator of Forth, Charles \"Chuck\" Moore. [1, 2]Key Features & Concept

• The Stack-Oriented Approach: The book teaches Forth\'s unique stack-based architecture, execution dictionary, and postfix (Reverse Polish) notation. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Dual Audience Structure: It features custom footnotes and sections tailored specifically for newcomers to programming versus seasoned professionals unlearning traditional languages. [1, 2]
• Whimsical Illustrations: It is famous for its creative, hand-drawn cartoon characters representing various inner workings of the Forth system—such as operators like DUP, SWAP, and DROP as living creatures manipulating data on a physical stack. [1, 2]
• Standard Implementations: Later editions were expanded to cover the FORTH-83 Standard, with footnotes detailing historical variations like FORTH-79, MVP-FORTH, and FIG-FORTH. [1]