Personally, I think this is a neat idea and one worth pursuing. I tried something similar in Emacs using overlays a while back (Don might recall this). Examples from that experiment:
http://0branch.com/snippets/j-symbols3.png http://0branch.com/snippets/j-symbols4.png (The left and right pane are displaying the same file.) For me, the downside to this sort of approach is that one has to think in two notations simultaneously, even though they're bijective. I agree with some of the points made above regarding arbitrariness of mapping where J diverges from traditional APL (you'll note that some of the examples in the above screenshots are rather haphazard), though I would dispute the 'J is not APL' line of criticism. Regardless, this is something can be ironed out through repeated iterations. Inspiration can also be drawn from modern APL implementations (e.g., Dyalog and NARS). Don, perhaps you could say more about your experiments with the GTK IDE? Best, Marc On Sun, Apr 7, 2013 at 12:41 AM, Greg Borota <[email protected]> wrote: > In my mind, which I probably didn't convey in writing clearly, the APL > symbols mentioning were meant mostly to convey an idea; the use of single > symbols which are closer to one is used with in math world. Without having > to re-write J engine, but just for display inside editor. I would have used > APL where possible because you already have APL fonts freely available > around. But only as a starting point.... The details would have to be > nailed out, by common accord, if the idea got enough steam. Also see > Patrick and Skip's emails. Anyway, I think I am making great progress on VS > integration and will pretty soon have at least a VS based interactive > window which is based on the very able VS editor. > > > On Sat, Apr 6, 2013 at 6:01 PM, Zsbán Ambrus <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I wonder, could you propose an actual assignment on what APL symbols > > you'd use for what in J? > > > > What would you do with the cases when J uses the same or similar > > symbol for very different functions than classical APL (such as > > semicolons, brackets, tilde, star), and when J pairs monadic and > > dyadic verbs (or verbs with operators) differently from classical APL. > > In particular, what symbol would you use for the following? > > > > - the exponential/power verb (^), > > - the tally/copy verb (#), > > - the reflex/passive/evoke-name adverb (~), > > - the not/less verb (-.), > > - the to-polar/and verb (*.) > > - the raze/link verb (;) > > - the amend adverb (}) > > > > Ambrus > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
