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From: sam@kalessin.jpl.nasa.gov (Sam Sirlin)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.apl
Subject: Re: Statistical Functions in J
Message-ID: <1991May29.204803.26927@jato.jpl.nasa.gov>
Date: 29 May 91 20:48:03 GMT
References: <1991May12.145907.19563@yrloc.ipsa.reuter.COM> <356@tslwat.UUCP> <1991May21.042804.21102@yrloc.ipsa.reuter.COM> <414@tslwat.UUCP> <1991May29.191441.1279@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>
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In article <1991May29.191441.1279@aplcen.apl.jhu.edu>, dave@visual1.jhuapl.edu (Dave Weintraub) writes:

|> I fully agree.  This is the path taken by IBM with APL2: write external
|> functions (in Assembler, FORTRAN, PL/I,  C, ...) and make these available
|> using QuadNA.

An interesting path in this vein is the path taken by ProMatlab. It uses the
dynamic linking capabilities of modern machines. Hence a variety of compiled
routines are available (and more can be written by the user) that are easily
linked in while running the Matlab interpreter, simply by invoking the program 
by name (Matlab then searches for the right sort of file and then does the
dynamic link). Using this approach, the kitchen sink doesn't have to be in 
the code for everyone, but standard compiled routines are available for those 
who need them at practically no overhead.

-- 
Sam Sirlin
Jet Propulsion Laboratory         sam@kalessin.jpl.nasa.gov