Sorry everyone - I thought I was sending to Mr. Harris. On Sun, Mar 30, 2008 at 11:17 PM, Mattia Landoni <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Thanks! > > > On Sun, Mar 30, 2008 at 11:12 PM, Bill Harris < > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > > Hash: SHA1 > > > > "Mattia Landoni" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > > > > I am an economist and I discovered J a few days ago. I haven't been so > > > excited since when I was 13 and Santa brought me an 8-bit Nintendo > > > Entertainment System. Yet before taking a week off from work to study > > J > > > (just kidding) I would like to be sure it does everything I need. Here > > are > > > > Mattia, > > > > Welcome! I understand the excitement. > > > > While I've been using J for quite a while, I'm not nearly as > > accomplished as some here, but I can answer a few of your questions. > > > > > Data Management > > > - I import data from several sources. Not always are they in > > straightforward > > > formats. Are there libraries or built-in function to import text (e.g. > > .csv, > > > .tab, fixed format) and non-text (e.g. Excel, 1-2-3) data? > > > > Sure. See, for example, http://jsoftware.com/jwiki/Interfaces . The > > Excel section covers Tara (perhaps the most full-featured Excel > > interface), csv (quite easy to use), and more. Text Files covers more > > of what you seek. > > > > There's also http://www.jsoftware.com/help/user/libraries.htm from the > > User Manual (also part of the download). > > > > > - (*) I often merge datasets (sort of SQL join). The other day I saw > > that it > > > is possible to embed a database (SQLite) through a library. Are there > > > interfaces to other databases? I usually use MySQL (last time I > > checked > > > SQLite did not implement enough SQL for my purposes - that was > > probably 2 > > > years ago). Are there in-built functions to perform similar > > operations? > > > (although I'd be very happy to do all the merging in SQL). > > > > Perhaps http://jsoftware.com/jwiki/DB will be of help. > > > > > Learning > > > - What's the fastest way to learn the basics for a greedy person who > > learns > > > the average C-like programming language in a week? Normally what I do > > is to > > > learn "what can be done" and then start programming right away with a > > > reference at hand. Here it does not seem so simple... right? > > > > There are lots of approaches. I like treating it as if it were a > > natural language: speak it with a native speaker (the J interpreter), > > and see what sort of interesting conversations you can carry on. > > Eventually -- not that long -- you'll begin to be able to carry on > > useful conversations (write useful programs). For that purpose, check > > out the J Primer (part of the download, also available at > > http://jsoftware.com/jwiki/System/Documentation). > > > > You may also like the two other books that come with J: _Learning J_ and > > _J for C Programmers_. > > > > In any case, I think one learns best by reading and doing at the same > > time, not by reading without a computer keyboard at the ready. > > > > Don't forget to check out the labs and demos in J (in the Studio menu). > > > > Oh, and subscribe to the J Programming forum. People there are quite > > helpful. > > > > I suspect you won't /learn/ (all of) J in a week (perhaps in a life), > > but I imagine you'll be doing quite a few impressive things pretty > > quickly. > > > > Bill > > - -- > > Bill Harris http://facilitatedsystems.com/weblog/ > > Facilitated Systems Everett, WA 98208 USA > > http://facilitatedsystems.com/ phone: +1 425 337-5541 > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > > Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (MingW32) > > Comment: For more information, see http://www.gnupg.org > > > > iD8DBQFH8Fab3J3HaQTDvd8RAoFlAJ0QYvdWpJ/F+P0StgKij/rn0xefEQCeKCdA > > m5UlwQrJBDcVjBB6X4MXcho= > > =v/jm > > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > > > > > -- > Mattia Landoni > 1201 S Eads St Apt 417 > Arlington, VA 22202-2837 > USA > Greenwich -5 hours > > Office: +1 202 62 35922 > Cell: +1 202 492 3404 > Home: +1 360 968 1684 > > Govern a great country as you would fry a small fish: do not poke at it > too much. > -- Lao Tzu > -- Mattia Landoni 1201 S Eads St Apt 417 Arlington, VA 22202-2837 USA Greenwich -5 hours Office: +1 202 62 35922 Cell: +1 202 492 3404 Home: +1 360 968 1684 Govern a great country as you would fry a small fish: do not poke at it too much. -- Lao Tzu ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
