Re: Free publicity

Dear Ms. Rather,

My name is Mark Paulik, and I am a Professor of Electrical and Computer
Engineering at the University of Detroit Mercy. I began using your Swiftx
(standard) package this year in my 400 level embedded systems class. The
class explores the Motorola DP256 processor in some detail and is
accompanied by a laboratory where the students program and build embedded
systems. They begin with assembly language and then graduate to FORTH. In
the past we had been using the version of FORTH provided with the text
"Design of Embedded Systems Using 68HC12/11 Microcontrollers," by Richard
Haskell. Dr. Haskell has written a FORTH language called WHYP (Words to
Help You Program). A small processor resident kernel and a PC based Host
application comprise the development environment. The text explores the
HC12 processor in detail and uses the implementation of a FORTH language
system as an extended case study. We found this system worked well, but
became somewhat limiting when we began trying to work with larger
multitasked applications (robotic vehicles). I consequently shifted to
using the SwiftX system because of its maturity, full feature set, ease of
use, and support. I still introduce the writing of subroutine threaded
FORTH systems via WHYP and Haskell's text, but later lab work and robot
projects are implemented with the SwiftX system (we started with three
licenses, and have upgraded to 8 for next year to make more machines
available to the students).
         Your software was a great addition to our program. After porting
the kernel to the Tech Arts DP256 board, we found the system stable and
easy to use. Students liked the user interface (the WHYP system uses a DOS
text window) and the complete manuals a great deal. The robot systems they
built and programmed worked well, and we had no problems with your software
over the course of the semester.

         Next year, a new more advanced class which uses both FORTH and C
will be offered to give the students a full range of experience, and make
them more knowledgeable about the different language and development
environment strengths and weaknesses. I am clearly not going with the
status quo in terms of college level embedded systems courses, but I have
worked with both C and FORTH in embedded development over the years, and
there are numerous advantages to the FORTH approach... especially for
smaller systems. Also, there seems to be a community of FORTH programmers
out there in southeastern Michigan (probably due in part to Dr. Haskell's
teaching FORTH at Oakland University over the years), and my students have
been well served by the exposure.

Thank you for producing and supporting an excellent product.

Dr. Mark Paulik, Professor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Detroit Mercy
Detroit Micigan 48221
(313) 993 3363
paulikmj_at_udmercy.edu

At 05:30 PM 7/10/03 -0700, you wrote:
>We are presently working on a revised web site for FORTH, Inc. I'd like to
>take this opportunity to invite any of you to tell us how you are using our
>products and services. Anything from a simple complement to a description
>of why your products are better and more successful will be welcome
>(complaints are welcome, too, but we'll try to resolve them, not publish
>them!).
>
>If it's appropriate, we'll be happy to provide a link to your site, which
>benefits both of us!
>
>If you're interested but don't have time to write much, let me know and
>I'll be happy to do a phone interview and then write it up (of course you
>can preview what I write).
>
>Thanks!
>Elizabeth
>
>
>==================================================
>Elizabeth D. Rather (US & Canada) 800-55-FORTH
>FORTH Inc. +1 310-491-3356
>5155 W. Rosecrans Ave. #1018 Fax: +1 310-978-9454
>Hawthorne, CA 90250
>http://www.forth.com
>
>"Forth-based products and Services for real-time
>applications since 1973."
>==================================================
>
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Received on Fri Jul 11 2003 - 13:38:32 PDT