SPITBOL 360 Now Available Under GPL

What is SPITBOL 360?
--------------------


SPITBOL 360 is an implementation of the SNOBOL4 programming language
for use on IBM 360 compatible computers. SPITBOL 360 was the first
true compiler for SNOBOL4 and is an incredibly clever work of assembly
language.


SPITBOL 360 was originally distributed under license, for a fee, from
1971 until 1984 when it was superseded by SPITBOL 370.


Effective November 2001, SPITBOL 360 will be distributed under the
General Public License (GPL), for NO fee.




Why re-release a 30 year old compiler?
--------------------------------------


Here are three good reasons:


1. Preservation. SPITBOL was a great achievement and it should be
preserved.


2. Education. In the past people who had access to the source read and
learned from it. Now the source will be available to all.


3. Utility. It still works! A new generation of mainframe software
users (e.g., Hercules users) will find it useful.




Where do you get SPITBOL 360?
-----------------------------


Visit


http://www.snobol4.com


and click on the SPITBOL 360 link.




Enjoy,


    Bob Goldberg
    goldberg@snobol4.com
[I used Spitbol in 1971 to generate assembler source for a program
on a pre-frame-buffer display attached to a Varian 620i, for an
art exhibit in NYC. Even now, it's a cool language. -John]

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