Reading recommendations for Forth users
	Forth books currently stocked at MMS
	Other books liked by Forth enthusiasts
	Ordering: Shipping/Handling, Payment, etc.
	The Evolution of Forth, by Chuck Moore, Elizabeth Rather and Don Colburn
	Threads of a Forth Tapestry , editorial by Gregg Williams, in the famous August 1980 issue of Byte Magazine (2.5MB)
	Old MMSFORTH Brochure (1983, 4 .jpg pages; links to large .tiff files)
	Editors and Editing Technique: A Review of Fancy and Practical Features in the Evolution of the MMSFORTH Screen Editor, a 1985 Rochester Forth Conference presentation by A. Richard and Jill Miller of MMS. Anyone know of other MMS papers online?
	Forth Interest Group (FIG)
	Forth Information on Taygeta, by Skip Carter
	Forth Web Sites (CSU)

MMSFORTH software is no longer extensively developed or supported, and MMS no longer makes it available to the general public. Support must be provided on an as-available basis, but extensive examples and documentation are provided. Most of the MMS-recommended Forth books are still available at MMS; other parts of this MMSFORTH-software section are maintained for historical purposes.

MMSFORTH/nonDOS for IBM-PC, our normal 'pure-Forth' start-up purchase and our recommended way to learn Forth (Forth virtual machine, 'stand-alone' total software environment, traditional Forth features of compactness, flexibility and speed, lots of extensions with source code, plus unusual smoothness and support) costs $180 plus S/H; this one-person, one-computer personal license includes about 400 pages of manual and one 3-1/2",1.44MB System Disk.

You can add MMSFORTH/MS-DOS for 50% additional ($90, for another disk and an add-on DOS chapter for the manual).

A MMSFORTH GAMES "disk" is written onto the System Disk at no extra charge.

The following MMSFORTH extension modules require licensing and use of the appropriate MMSFORTH system disk (see above):

MMSFORTH UTILITIES-1 ($50 nonDOS, plus $25 for MS-DOS; adds more utilities): XREF cross-references Forth words by block and line, etc.; XFER transfers blocks/files between MMSFORTH nonDOS, MMSFORTH application files (DH+, FWRITE, General Ledger), and MS-DOS; N-LEN# for incredibly-precise integer math, TGRAPH fast vector graphics with PLOTTER and ScreenDUMP.

MMSFORTH UTILITIES-2 ($50/+$25): adds support for 8087-family fast-math coprocessor chips. (As described in our best-buy book, Forth: A Text and Reference.)

DATAHANDLER-PLUS ($100/+$50): lightning-fast flatfile database with easy merge, variable-length fields for tight data packing, etc. (This is about the only MMSFORTH module which does NOT include source code; it does have some features for programmability.)

FORTHWRITE ($100/nonDOS only): our very talented word-processor, tiny, logical and fast, with Include architecture (Forth-like macros calling macros), full-proportional support for many second-generation printers, etc.

FORTHCOM ($50/nonDOS only): communications module permits custom extensions for modem usage, etc. (nonDOS only).

EXPERT-2 ($70/+$35): expert system programming in as little as 32K of RAM! A great introduction to the topic, and ready to tackle small applications using its own English-like commands and any Forth word (including your own!).

Each of the above MMSFORTH modules includes sample code, applications, and printed documentation; some Appendix chapters are mailed to you upon our receipt of your completed license agreement form(s). We charge a bit extra for shipping/handling, to cover the later shipment of your part-2 chapters upon return of the completed license agreement forms. Shipment generally is prompt; however, anticipate some delays when we must print out-of-stock manuals.

MMS also offers corporate-site licensing.

At MMS, our starter Forth book recommendations, in this order, are:

1. The User Manual that came with your Forth, if it is a well-supported one. MMSFORTH comes with a fine and fitting manual of about 400 large pages, with references to many examples on the disk. Other good versions offer similar, superior books for their own systems.

2. FORTH: A TEXT AND REFERENCE, by Mahlon Kelly and Nick Spies. Very readable, covers beginner level through relatively advanced, including Assembler and 8087 math coprocessor details, particularly appropriate to IBM PC and MMSFORTH, but very strong for general use as well. The only college-level textbook, complete with exercises and answers; and an MMS-exclusive, author-generated Errata Sheet. See our greatly-reduced price for this excellent book!

3. THINKING FORTH, by Leo Brodie, is a top-notch book on strategy, and is our top recommendation for the second book, after you bought a textbook to learn the Forth words. This one teaches you which words to select when, how to hone your habits for better Forth (and other) programming, etc. Unfortunately, the Forth Interest Group has upped the price of its second edition (which used to sell for $20) to $35 and MMS no longer stocks it. It's still a good book for purchase or for library reference.

4. STARTING FORTH, by Leo Brodie. Traditionally the most popular, and a very good Forth textbook. MMS no longer stocks this book, but your library may have a copy. Better yet, all or most of this excellent book is available on-line!

MMS sells some Forth books. See our current Forth book list, below.

Some ForthNet postings bemoan the lack of sources for good Forth books. Miller Microcomputer Services can help! We currently stock the following new and out-of-print Forth books (as well as other books of interest to Forth programmers). MMS invites your phone call (9am-9pm Eastern U.S. time) to confirm stock, price and S/H, or to discuss the appropriateness of a given book to your needs.

A partial listing of books currently stocked at MMS:

FORTH: A TEXT AND REFERENCE, by Kelly & Spies (list prices are $30.95 paperback (in stock) or $44.95 hardbound (out of stock); Special Sale Pricing, paperback, is $25.95!) Our vote for the best Forth textbook; college-level with exercises and the MMS-exclusive Errata Sheet.

LEARNING FORTH, by Armstrong ($16.95) Very fundamental "programmed instruction".

BEGINNING FORTH, by Chirlian ($16.95) Independent text on earlier MMSFORTH.

FORTH-79 (out of stock) or FORTH-83 STANDARD MANUAL (in stock, $13.95 ea.) The official publications.

FORTH CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, FORML (1981, 1983) & Rochester  (1982-1987) (most @)$25.00 ea.) Professional papers.

FORTH DIMENSIONS magazines, Volume 1 (June 1978-May 1979) through Volume 19 (June 1996-May 1997), 6 magazines per volume ($5.00 ea. magazine - or $25.00 ea. bound volume, Vol. 1 and 2 only) We stock most issues; tell us which ones you want.

THE DEVIL'S DP DICTIONARY, by Kelly-Bootle ($10.00) Classic spoof dictionary for those straddling the professional mainframe and amateur minicomputer worlds.

PS/2-PC ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE, by Holzner ($22.95 list; on sale for $16.00) 557-page reference and tutorial, good choice re Forth's inner and PC-related routines, with much detail on programming the PC's BIOS-ROM through VGA et al; also some attention to DOS and OS/2.

FRACTALS, THE PATTERNS OF CHAOS, by Briggs ($20.00 list; on sale for $15.00) Fractals in mathematics and nature, in a brilliantly color-illustrated and excellently-written 'coffee-table' softcover.

IN THE STREAM OF STARS; THE SOVIET/AMERICAN SPACE ART BOOK, by Hartmann, Sokolov, Miller, Myagkov ($19.95 list; on sale for $15.00) Space-age artists, including astronauts and cosmonauts, paint nearly 200 of their own views of our space programs. A coffee-table spectacular!

PETER JAMESON'S SECRET LANGUAGE, by Sylvan Zaft ($9.95). It doesn't teach Esperanto, but it tells an interesting young-adult story about Esperanto which plants the seeds of curiousity and understanding.

ESPERANTO: LEARNING AND USING THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE, by David Richardson ($29.95). Excellent! Four books in one: Communication and the language barrier; a short course in Esperanto; an Esperanto reader; an Esperanto-English dictionary.

THE ESPERANTO MOVEMENT, by Peter G. Forster ($44.95). Excellent accounting of the Esperanto movement.

Our general shipping costs within the USA now require a $8.00 minimum charge. Thus, Priority Mail S/H for one book or magazine will cost $8.00; Media Mail (was, Book Rate; e.g., slower) for one book or magazine is $5.00. S/H on additional books in the same shipment still normally adds only $2.00 each Priority, or $1.00 each for Media Mail. We require your proper shipping address.

To speed service, MMS welcomes your PayPal payment or your American Express credit card. Or, usually with a bank surcharge, you can wire a Domestic or International Money Transfer to our bank. (Due to their excessive overhead costs, we have dropped VISA and MasterCard.)

Regular checks (drawn on a US bank) require about two weeks to clear. Please inquire about exact rates, insurance, shipment by United Parcel Service, Federal Express et al, and rates to foreign countries.

Our current pricing is based upon MMS Terms and Conditions: typically, prepayment or a UPS COD surcharge; MMSFORTH software sales must specify the licensee; 15% restock charge except no returns on software; 30-day free correction of defective disks.
MMS Client Consulting is based upon a completed MMS Client Consulting Agreement.

| A. Richard & Jill A. Miller            | MILLER MICROCOMPUTER SERVICES  |
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