[www about
tom@goto10.org**20080219181025] {
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-  (stack) languages, special purpose description languages and low
-  level Forth. BROOD is an attempt to create a programmable compiler:
-  an integrated high-level (meta)programming tool for tasks usually
-  programmed in low-level programming languages combined with ad-hoc
-  code generation hacks.
+  (stack) languages, special purpose description languages for signal
+  processing applications, and low level Forth. BROOD is an attempt to
+  create a programmable compiler for deeply embedded applications,
+  aimed at engineers on a budget.
+
+<p>
+  To understand the development approach and the current form of the
+  source code, it might be necessary to see it in the right context. I
+  am an electrical engineer working mostly on small embedded control
+  and signal processing projects. My problem is the development of
+  highly specialized software for embedded systems in small groups
+  (1-3). I got fed up with ad-hoc methods of metaprogramming and code
+  generation that I see used in this engineering subculture, and
+  decided to build a clean system that can be understood and used by a
+  single electrical engineer with an open mind towards modern
+  programming language technology. However, I am not a PLT theorist,
+  and if you want to use BROOD, you don't need to be either.
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-  microcontroller or DSP processor.
+  microcontroller or DSP processor. Eventually I'm trying to cover the
+  whole spectrum of tiny 8-bit microcontrollers to 32-bit machines
+  that can run unix with an integrated language tree based on Forth
+  and Scheme dialects.
+
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-  The Purrr18 language seems to be stable. It has been used in several
-  projects, including the Sheep sound synthesizer software and the
-  system software for the CATkit and KRIkit open hardware
-  projects. The Purrr18 language has been tested on a public of
-  technically oriented artists in the form of several Sheep/CATkit
-  workshops.
+  The Purrr18 core language seems to be mostly stable. It has been
+  used in several projects, including the Sheep sound synthesizer
+  software and the system software for the CATkit and KRIkit open
+  hardware projects developed in collaboration
+  with <a href="http://goto10.org">GOTO10</a>. The Purrr18 language
+  has been tested on a public of technically oriented artists in the
+  form of several Sheep/CATkit workshops.
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-  generalization seems quite clear, with the spin-off projects acting
-  as real world test cases. 
+  generalization seems quite clear.
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-<p> As previous workshops have indicated, the CATkit board is a
+<p> As hands-on workshops have indicated, the CATkit board is a
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-  an <a href="http://catkit.goto10.org">online community</a>. A lot of
-  work still has to be done though, including a second board iteration
-  and a more standard Forth language layer on top of Purrr18 to
-  decouple the CATkit hardware and BROOD software from the community
-  project. Until then, expect that things will break.
+  an <a href="http://catkit.goto10.org">online community</a> around
+  the Forth language. There appears to be a second generation of BASIC
+  programmers looking for something different. A lot of work still has
+  to be done though, including a second board iteration and a more
+  standard Forth language layer on top of Purrr18 that presents a
+  simplified interface. The layer would also decouple the CATkit
+  hardware and BROOD software from the community project.
+
+<h2>Use</h2>
+
+<p> If you want to use BROOD/Purrr18 for a project, I suggest you
+  temporarily fork the code as a shield from current core
+  changes. This will probably remain the best approach for a while,
+  since I'm still looking for a good way to separate the core from
+  project specific specializations. If you have a problem with GPL,
+  you're probably also in a position to contact me for a combined
+  support and alternative licencing deal.
+
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-the public under the terms of the GPL v2. Contact the author for
-alternative licencing options. BROOD is written by Tom Schouten.
+the public under the terms of the GPL v2. BROOD is written by Tom Schouten.
}