[svfig-announce] Announce: Meeting: 2003 December 12

[Juggler Vain]

Saturday, December 13, 2003 Second Saturday

Cogswell College, 1175 Bordeaux Dr, Sunnyvale, CA


09:45		Starbucks Coffee, Tea, Bagels, and Pastries


10:00		MIDI Music - Tim Duncan
Tim will demonstrate all three parts of the MIDI implementation: MIDI 
input, MIDI output, and interrupt-based timing.


11:40		David Frech - Coming Attractions - MuForth

A close relative of colorforth, it has the following features:

(a) a kernel, written in C, that is the smallest possible kernel 
capable of compiling Forth colon definitions (ie, it is self- 
bootstrapping); 
(b) a simple native-code compiler; 
(c) a tail-recursive implementation; 
(d) a new parser, tokenizer, and interpreter; 
(e) colorforth's terseness but implemented without color and without 
reinventing the OS.

He'll tell us a little bit about his new Forth project to whet our 
appetites for a more complete description coming in January.


12:00		Lunch - on your own: Togos or other local eateries


13:00		Introductions, Announcements, Rumors, and Gossip


13:30		Jef Raskin's Challenge - CH Ting
Jef Raskin's Programming Challenge was introduced at Forth Day last 
month. A part of the Challenge was to create a Forth word that 
indicates whether any single key or combination of keys are being 
pressed at the moment the keyboard is polled. Ting will discuss his 
solution: an 8051-based experimental board, special keyboard, and 
Forth software that sends 16 bytes of keyboard information. (Jef 
Raskin himself will talk about the Challenge in January when he is 
scheduled to present.)


14:20		SVFIG and NewFIG, where are we going? - Kevin Appert
Kevin has a lengthy shopping list of plans and projects to discuss.


15:10		Hot Buttons - Group Discussion lead by Kevin Appert
"What's all this about license agreements for toner cartridges? Who 
owns that CD in your closet and why can't you sell it if you want to? 
Support is terrible! Microsoft is attempting to take over the world! 
My copy of Quickbooks just turned itself off! Bring your favorite 
gripes and grievances."


16:00		Adjourn After meeting...

... possible dinner at a location to be determined.


Anyone who would present at an SVFIG meeting may contact Kevin Appert 
<forther at comcast.net>.