var'aq Release Notes

Version Information

This is the qor release, named for the first Klingon captain shown on the Original Series. It is dedicated to the memory of John Colicos, who died earlier this year.

Status Summary

We are moving ahead! Console I/O (on a very rudimentary level) is here, as well as much of the mathematical functionality and string handling. Lists are not here yet, and a more robust I/O model must await a better understanding of Klingon hacker culture to understand issues like authentication and how distributed processing might be used.

This release is to be considered pre-alpha -- basically a technology release for people who want to start writing sample code. It is nowhere close to feature-complete, and important tools such as the Klingon<->English translator programs and a reasonably friendly front end are missing. The documentation is minimal, there is very little sample code, and the whole thing is very Linux-centric at this point. If you are afraid to tread in hostile territory like this, you might want to hold off on playing with var'aq for a while.

Interpreter Status

The interpreter is available with both Klingon and English keywords; however, keep in mind that maintenance is done mostly on the English version and the translator program is not ready for prime time. This will be fixed eventually.

The following keywords are currently supported:

• Control Structures
  • ifyes/HIja'chugh
  • ifno/ghobe'chugh
  • choose/wIv
  • ~ (quote/lI'moH)
  • name/pong
  • set/cher (may go away)
• Stack Operations
  • pop/woD
  • dup/latlh
  • exch/tam
  • clear/chImmoH
  • remember/qaw
  • forget/qawHa'
• Arithmetic Operators
  • add/chel
  • sub/teq
  • mul/law'moH
  • div/wav
  • mod/chuv
  • pow/law'qa'moH
  • rand/mIS
  • add1/wa'chel
  • sub1/wa'teq
  • pi/HeHmI'
  • e/ghurmi'
  • clip/poD
  • smooth/Hab
  • howmuch/'ar
• Trig/Log operators
  • sin/joq
  • cos/joqHa'
  • tan/qojmI'
  • atan/qojHa'
  • ln/ghurtaH
• Relational Operators

  All relational operators except null?/pagh'a' and negative?/taH'a' have been implemented.

• I/O Operators

  The var'aq I/O model remains to be defined, but the basic console I/O functions are now present.

• List Operators

  List support does not exist yet.

• String Operators

  The current set of operators is sufficient to implement the others in the spec, but they are a lower priority.

  • strcat/tlheghrar
  • streq?/tlheghrap'a'
  • strcat/tlhleghpe'
  • strmeasure/tlheghjuv

Specification Status

A few changes:

• A number of operators have been added:
  • numberize/mI'moH -- May be a noop in Perl, but will probably be a necessity in any other language.
  • listen/'Ij
  • complain/bep
• Several operators have been renamed:
  • the logarithm operators (using ghurtaH (a growing) to represent the concept of "logarithm".
  • The bitwise operators have been renamed after their precise effect on bitfields.
• Where computing terms have been coined, they have been added to the spec headers.
• The syntax for the following functions has been changed: strcut/tlheghpe'
• The ~ operator has been given a name: lI'moH, or "make it useful". This particular suggestion came from the var'aq-dev mailing list via one j proctor; since a bare identifier is pretty meaningless unless it's already been defined, lI'moH describes its function pretty well.