sxnahm@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Nahm) (03/29/84)
(lamp)
I received these interesting comments on APL for the IBM-PC in response to my
review of Byte's review of IBM and STSC APL. They seemed to be of general
interest, so I'm posting them here. My comments are [in brackets].
By the way, has anyone keyed in the chess-problem solving benchmark in the
byte reveiw on their computers? I'd be interested in seeing how it did on
something like an IBM/370.
Steve Nahm
sxnahm@bbn-unix (ARPA)
{decvax,ima,linus,wjh12}!bbncca!sxnahm (Usenet)
-----
From decvax!mako!bruceh (Bruce Harris)
Subject: Re: APL on IBM-PC reviewed
I didn't see your original request for STSC APL news. However I'll
volunteer this informantion to your implied request.
I purchased STSC APL*PLUS for my IBM PC in November. I purchased it for
home use, having been interested in APL for years, but never having had
access to it. So my frame of reference is as a neophyte.
My first release was well documented and easy to install. It came with
several volumes of documentation:
a reference manual for APL*PLUS
a reference manual of formating with APL*PLUS
a "classic textbook" Introduction to APL
a 10 hour tutorial in APL
I have had great time using it and am impressed with the proffesional
level of the product, and of its phone support.
I recieved the second release just after Christmas and it was worth the
$100 they charged for it. It included significant increases in
the functionality and in the extent of the documentation.
more DOS functions
better screen window support
screen editor for functions
cute IBMPC size manuals (4 of them!)
a nice screen/cursor menu help system
One incidental - EPSOM graphics are supported for output of the APL
character set on a printer. However, I don't have a EPSOM. So, my
first APL application was to write a window/bit graphic character
sketching program to create the character set (all 96), and to convert
the screen image to OKIDATA 92 downloadable characters. This , my
first APL program exept those in the 10 hours of tutorial, took about 16
hours, including sketching and refining the font.
But to be fair, I tried to change the sketch program that I wrote in
November last week, and couldn't understand the code anymore. Tough
language to read.
Bruce Harris
Tektronix (ECS)
Willsonville, OR
[I'd say readability depends on your programming style. I've found if you ]
[use *alot* of small, simple routines, with fairly mnemonic names, plus ]
[one or two strategically placed comments, programs remain readable. Does ]
[anyone have other comments on this? ]
-----
From decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxl!houxm!hou2f!vifl
Subject: Re: APL on IBM-PC reviewed
I have used STSC's APL, WATCOM's APL, IBM's APL, and a beta version of I.P.
Sharp's APL. By far, the best is STSC's. I have written many programs in
STSC's APL (and a good number in all the others) and feel as if the best is
STSC's. There are several reasons:
1. There is a real professional feel to STSC's in how it interprets the
keyboard. There is plenty of cursor controls, easy function key
definitions, interesting and easy to execute low level `window'
functions, and ways to change the foreground colors, background colors,
and a host of other `environment' features. This APL is fun to play
with.
2. It is the second most complete APL (I.P Sharp's has a bit more APL features,
e.g. groups). However, unlike I.P. Sharp's, and the others, it has the
most extensions that are IBM PC specific, including printer support,
communications (terminal) support, graphics support for a number of
graphic boards, DOS 2.0 subdirectories, and DOS 2.0 `shell' statements.
This last item is particularly handy for integrating text editors,
data base languages, or spreadsheets.
[I'd think that too many extension would make your programs less portable. ]
[What's the trade-off here? By the way, what are groups? ]
3. It has a built in full screen editor (that has a few minor bugs).
4. It has a built in, user modifiable, HELP function, that is almost as
good as Multiplan's or Lotus 123. This is important if you are
creating a system for someone else, and you want to add that final
touch of professionalism.
Other notes: I.P. Sharp's system is (almost) identical to their mainframe
system, they run it under an emulation system that transforms your PC into
a IBM 370. It's very slow. Their strategy is to sell this to people who
have their mainframe system and IBM PC's and wish to run their mainframe
programs, unchanged, on their micro. Additionally, this product is designed
for the IBM XT/370 (which doesn't need software emulation...)
Don't get the IBM - unless you are really fond of auxilarly processors and a
limited access to the neat parts of the PC. At $195 (versus $595 for STSC),
you get what you pay for. The WATCOM is actually very nice - it lacks the real
professional touch of the STSC, but is a very complete APL with graphics and
a whole lot more. For my money, I would get the STSC through MICROWARE for
~$540 instead of the WATCOM for $495.
If you have any more questions, contact me at hou2f!vifl.
Marc S. Meketon
AT&T Bell Laboratories
(This response does not necessarily reflect my companies opinion, and is
strictly based on home use of APL)
-----
From <decvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!noscvax!uhpgvax!islenet!todd>
Subject: Re: APL on IBM-PC reviewed
I just gained access to USENET and so did not see your original query
concerning STSC APL*PLUS. I tried it on a riend's IBM PC and was
very impressed (he had just obtained the latest update). The documentationn
is very complete and looks error free. Computations are performed
very quickly. Graphics are nicely implemented and have powerful
commands (fill, etc.) for "fancy" work. It can handle a matrix
of up to 90 x 90 (enough for the kind of work I do)...
I understand STSC has educational discounts avaailable and
am trying to obtain more information.
[Perhaps you can post to net.apl when you find out more? ]
Todd Ogasawara
Department of Psychology
University of Hawaii
!vortex!islenet!todd
--
Steve Nahm
sxnahm@bbn-unix (ARPA)
{decvax,ima,linus,wjh12}!bbncca!sxnahm (Usenet)