Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!itcyyz!yrloc!intern
From: loc@yrloc.ipsa.reuter.COM (Leigh Clayton)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.apl
Subject: 360/40 APL RPQ
Message-ID: <1991Feb8.222847.29052@yrloc.ipsa.reuter.COM>
Date: 9 Feb 91 10:08:20 GMT
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-------Message from Bob Bernecky, ex  I.P. Sharp Associates, fresh-------------
-------from a birthday and not at all embarassed about remembering-------------



>no. 4915571 filed  3.12.12  fri  8 feb 1991
>from rbe@ipsa
>
>@transferred from ipsa  no. 4706653 filed  3.12.09  fri  8 feb 1991
>
>The 360/40 did indeed (assuming I am properly guessing the
>antecedent message which I did not receive...) have a
>microcode RPQ (Request Price Quotation -- IBMese for non-standard
>addon) for APL. I think most of what it did was syntax analysis,
>which typically accounts for about 15-30% of APL interpreter CPU
>time.
>
>A similar model of the 370/145 had a similar facility. In spite of
>its good performance( I recall it ran about 30 times faster than
>a naked interpreter for scalar-bound functions [which of course
>aren't that common...]), IBM never pushed it on other models.
>
>It was basically a product of IBM research, where many good ideas
>are developed and discarded. I think it was Hassitt and Lyon who
>did the work. Lemme check some old ACM APL conference proceedings.
>
>Hmm. Can't find any references. I'd check the following in your
>library: ACM SIGAPL Quote Quad Conference Proceedings, early 1970's
>to mid-1980's. Also check IBM Journal of Research and Development
>for the same era.
>
>What was the original question?
>
>Bob Bernecky
>Snake Island Research Inc.
>

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loc@tmsoft.UUCP                     uunet!mnetor!tmsoft!loc
loc@ipsa.reuter.COM                         (Leigh Clayton)