Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!portal!cup.portal.com!Pesch
From: Pesch@cup.portal.com (Roland Henry Pesch)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.apl
Subject: Re: Is APL a dying language?
Message-ID: <12565@cup.portal.com>
Date: 13 Dec 88 06:48:58 GMT
References: <13635@cisunx.UUCP> <1938@water.waterloo.edu> <723@convex.UUCP> <18@kepler1.UUCP> <2044@vu-vlsi.Villanova.EDU>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 25

Re:
> APL would go much further if there were standard ASCII keywords for each
> operator (I can type words faster than remembering the symbol positions).

> -Bruce McKee
> Villanova University

Recently (APL Quote Quad v18 no 2, as I recall---I don't have it here),
K.E. Iverson ---yes, the originator of the language--- published a set of
keywords he recommends, as an appendix to his Dictionary of APL.  I
use them frequently in an (APL-written) filter to allow me to address
mainframe APL from non-APL terminals, and can attest to their effectiveness.
Unlike any keyword set I can remember seeing before, these were chosen
with regard to their appearance, and like the primitive glyphs themselves
they are well-chosen, predictable enough to recognize even when not seen
before, and have mnemonic value.  I have been intending to recommend their
use to this newsgroup for exchanging APL algorithms; I'm glad Mr. McKee's
remarks have given me the needed push.  If there's sufficient interest,
I will copy the table from Quote Quad and post it here (unless someone
beats me to it).  A short sample: the sum of the first ten integers can
be named "x" with the expression
   x@<- +/@i 10

                               /Roland Pesch
                               pesch@pa.reuter.com    *or* pesch@cup.portal.com