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From: eli@diogenes.gang.umass.edu (Eli Brandt)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.apl
Subject: Re: First Impressions of J
Message-ID: <22047@dime.cs.umass.edu>
Date: 31 Oct 90 19:37:12 GMT
References: <9014@latcs1.oz.au> <90289.112513BAKERJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA>
Sender: news@dime.cs.umass.edu
Reply-To: eli@diogenes.CS.UMASS.EDU (Eli Brandt)
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Lines: 34

In article <90289.112513BAKERJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA> BAKERJ@QUCDN.QueensU.CA writes:
>
>In the last week I have been experimenting with J version 2.3
>from Iverson Software.  So far I am impressed.  J is remarkably
>complete (the documentation indicates what remains to be done).
>implementation of "pure" rationalized APL.
>
>A few brief observations.

 [observations 1-4 culled]

I have been playing around with the publicly-available PC J, and I've 
found it quite interesting.  Unfortunately, there is virtually no 
documentation, so I have not yet figured out how to, say, define a 
function :-).  Performance on various matrix juggling seems surprisingly
good.  One question: are the features "not yet available" likely to
be so soon, and if so, how much will we have to pay for them?

>     5)  Overall ISI's J is an amazing bargin.  For $24.00
>         you get the J interpreter.  Iverson's paper (ISI J Dictionary),
>         and a little booklet called -- Tangible Math.
>         I have a feeling that J is going to attract
>         a lot of interest within and,  to a lesser degree,
>         outside of the APL world.   Who knows it may even
>         revitialize this inbreed little corner of computerdom.
>
>
>                                    John Baker

I figure I'll just shell out the 24 dollars and take my chances.  Looks 
like a pretty good deal.  Nice job, ISI, and thanks for breaking from 
STSC's pricing scheme.

Eli