Actually APL was one of the initial languages that were introduced when .NET was first being presented. Dyalog ALP http://www.dyalog.com/microsoft_net_interface.htm
APL was their showcase proof of the concept. It went like this ".NET has support for more than 20 languages, they even have APL". Here's a quote from Chris Sells in July 2001 MSDN Magazine, "If .NET is going to support APL, you can be pretty sure your language of choice is going to be there". http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/01/07/vsnet/default.aspx J interoperates with Java since version j501a in 2002. It is very straightforward given the J DLL interface as also was used in the Java Hardware OpenGL demos. As for APLNext, form what I've seen, they've overdone it. They created a new "language" for .NET in order to provide interoperability between .NET code (in C# etc.) and the APLNext code. As a result, they create more problems they solve: one is you cannot mix languages in .NET in one project, so they need to create separate projects in order just to call APLNext. So then they had to create a compiler for this "language" with some wierd syntax which is a mix of C# and APL; worry about supporting Visual Studio specifics like separate types of projects, intellisense, etc. Then the users have to learn all these quirks in order to use it. If fact the same interoperability, devoid of the problems above can be achieve with J much easily. It is more feasible to treat J system, not as a new .NET language, but as a service callable from .NET, the same way as other standard services, such as Database Access components and Web Services, are treated. In order to expose J to .NET, it possible to use the technolgy called Code Generation, which Visual Studio uses for Data Accessors with XSD and for Web Services with WSDL. An XML based interface file can be included in any project, which describes the classes exposed by J with code either directly inside or referring to an existing J library. In the code generation phase, this interface produces a thin wrapper with .NET interface callable by .NET code in the language of the project. The argument types could be strong-typed or generic object type. Following the WSDL example, the arguments are named, so it is easy to use the J DLL interface to set the variables before the call and collect the results. Since the result of code generation is strong typed classes, it is possible to include additional reflection metadata, such as documenting code comments, COM interop or any other .NET attributes to provide further desired .NET functionality, including intellisense. > My exploration of J is to determine its suitability for incorporation > in .NET or J2EE environments. It's interesting to learn what you've gathered so far in this exploration. --- dly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > This news is of interest to those who are working in environments > where Microsoft Visual Studio and .NEt architecture is in use to > design large-scale, highly concurrent, high-availability applications. > > APL is a welcome addition to the multiple-language capability of > the .NET Framework. It means that APL can be used by developers when > it is the programming language that is most appropriate for a given > task. It can be combined with other languages in the .NET Framework > within a single application. Components written in different > languages within a .NET Framework employ functionality from each > other transparently, without extra development. > > The .NET Framework now supports more than 20 programming languages, > including APL, Visual Basic, C#, C++, COBOL, Eiffel, Forth, Fortran, > Java, J#, Prolog, Pascal, Delphi, Perl, Python, and RPG. (J# is no > relation to J) > > The additional cost in this type of environment is nominal however > much it is an entry barrier for those who are dismissive. Compared > to the limitations of Visual Basic or the low level of languages such > as C# and C++, APL should prove very useful in such environments. > > My exploration of J is to determine its suitability for incorporation > in .NET or J2EE environments. > > dly > > On Tue 26/Sep/2006, at 9:58 PM, Björn Helgason wrote: > > > Some years ago this might have sounded exciting > > > > today it is more of a curiosa that might be interesting to know about > > eventually > > > > 2006/9/26, Bill Harris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > >> > >> "Miller, Raul D" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > >> > >> > Personally, I lost interest when I looked at the documentation. > >> > >> Personally, I lost interest when it asked me for a login and > >> password as > >> the first thing. It's http://aplnext.com/, right? Am I in a > >> parallel > >> universe? > >> > >> Bill > >> -- > >> Bill Harris http://facilitatedsystems.com/ > >> weblog/ > >> Facilitated Systems Everett, WA 98208 > >> USA > >> http://facilitatedsystems.com/ phone: +1 425 > >> 337-5541 > >> > >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> - > >> For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/ > >> forums.htm > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > Björn Helgason, Verkfræðingur > > Fugl&Fiskur ehf, Þerneyjarsund 23, Box 127 > > 801 Grímsnes ,t-póst: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Skype: gosiminn, gsm: +3546985532 > > Landslags og skrúðgarðagerð, gröfuþjónusta > > http://groups.google.com/group/J-Programming > > > > > > Tæknikunnátta höndlar hið flókna, sköpunargáfa er meistari > > einfaldleikans > > > > góður kennari getur stigið á tær án þess að glansinn fari af skónum > > /|_ .-----------------------------------. > > ,' .\ / | Með léttri lund verður | > > ,--' _,' | Dagurinn í dag | > > / / | Enn betri en gærdagurinn | > > ( -. | `-----------------------------------' > > | ) | (\_ _/) > > (`-. '--.) (='.'=) > > `. )----' (")_(") __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
