Re: [stack] are concatenative languages applicative?

> The details of the rewriting
> will depend on the syntax of the functional language. For a
> concatenative language, here is a (crazy, but correct) algorithm
> for rewriting an expression in the language, using several clerical
> workers concurrently:
> >
> REPEAT:
>     The workers at random select an operator in the expression.
>     If it is immediately preceded by the appropriate number of
>     operands, replace the operands and the operator by a value.
>     (For example, (... 2  3 +  ...) is replaced by (... 5 ...).)
> UNTIL there are no more operators in the expression
> >
> This is a way of implementing any concatenative language, even
> if crazy. The usual stack implementation of concatenative languages
> is just an efficient way of finding operators that are immediately
> preceded by their operands.

This possibility to do concurrent rewritings of expressions is the
sole reason why Enchilada has postfix syntax. Therefor I would claim
it isn't crazy at all :)

- Robbert.