>As we all know, all VMs regardless of the language can impose huge run-
>time performance penalties, compared to native coding in native compiled
>languages.
>
>An STC-based Forth with optimal hand-coded assembler primitives can evade
>this cost to a large degree, so I won't be talking about that here. I'm
>thinking more of DTC, ITC and TTC-based forths.
>
>What I am interested in is: when is it better to sweat over the coding of
>forth words, squeezing every last ounce of speed out of them at the very
>likely cost of readability/maintainability, as opposed to just taking the
>time critical stuff and coding it as C and/or assembler primitives?