>Hmm. APL was designed for interactive applied mathematics (sort of a >super-calculator tool).
APL was implemented as a matrix-oriented language which called on an extensive library of math and utility routines - so it was essentially an interpreted language. (I'm using past tense because that what how it was done when I last used it in 360/370 days - I still have my APL ball for the 2741 hidden away somewhere near my slide rule.) It was at its best when working on entire arrays, and wasn't good at individual variable tests. >I don't think it was intended for "building systems". It would be a rather unlikely language in which to build computer systems - although it might be an excellent environment in which to model and analyze systems. There might be some confusion, because Ken Iverson both developed APL (see A Programming Language, 1962) and was also involved in ADP efforts with Fred Brooks (the father of the 360), e.g. see Automatic Data Processing by Brooks and Iverson, 1963. --henry schaffer > ...
