APL\?

Abstract

This paper describes a version of APL based upon the dictionary [1], but significantly simplified and enhanced, and directly usable on any machine that provides ASCII characters. It also describes salient features of a C implementation that has been tested on several machines, and is available as freeware. There have been four primary motivations for this work: To provide an APL system for use in teaching mathematics and related topics that is modern, free, and transportable. To devise a spelling scheme based on the ASCII alphabet that preserves the major advantages of the one-letter words based on the special alphabet commonly used in APL. To exploit the advantages of breaking from the strict conformance with earlier APL that is normally obligatory in commercial systems. To explore an unusual style of C programming that makes heavy use of pre-processing facilities. Examples of the use of the language in a variety of topics are provided in an appendix. We are indebted to a number of colleagues for advice and help: Anthony Howe, David Steinbrook, Bob Bernecky, Mark Czerwinski, L.J. Dickey, Jiri Dvorak, James Hui, Eric Iverson, Paul Jackson, and Roland Pesch.