Machine Forth for the ARM processor

FoxandMoore [2] have recently proposeda newVM for Forth, called MachineForth. Using a simple concrete model, it is said to be readily adaptable to different hardware, and to produce reasonably efficient code without needing to descend to assembler. It is also intended to be an excellent basis for Forth compilers. This paper examines these claims with respect to an implementation for the ARM processor, and compares a MachineForth based Forth system with a similar system using the ARM's machine model, and a conventional Forth system. 1 Introduction In March 1999 there was a discussion on comp.lang.forth of Charles Moore's Machine Forth, a virtual machine model which he was said to be using for all his Forth programming, and had realised in several silicon designs such as the F21. Jeff Fox, Moore's amanuensis, said that Moore felt the Machine Forth VM to be rather better for low-level Forth programming than the classic Forth VM, allowing one to get close to the machine while reta..