Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site rabbit.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!alice!rabbit!ark From: ark@rabbit.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) Newsgroups: net.micro.pc Subject: Re: APL Query Message-ID: <3018@rabbit.UUCP> Date: Sat, 28-Jul-84 08:55:56 EDT Article-I.D.: rabbit.3018 Posted: Sat Jul 28 08:55:56 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 29-Jul-84 00:41:16 EDT References: <325@watdcsu.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill Lines: 53 >> Tom Haapanen states that IBM APL for the PC will not display upper/lower >> case characters at the same time as APL characters. This is false. > If I was wrong, I stand corrected. However, consider the following: > The IBM APL does not use a different character generator ROM. > Instead, it uses the colour/graphics card's facility to redefine the > character set in software, which only allows for the use of 128 > characters at a time. I am amazed if IBM managed to squeeze uppper > and lower case (total: 52 chars), numbers (10 chars), APL symbols > (around 45 at least, not counting overstrikes) and other punctuation > into 127 characters! They definitely left out things like line > drawing characters and foreign language symbols (all of which are in > STSC's APL) if this is the case. I do not have access to definite information about the IBM APL's character generation methods. However, its character set is 256 characters, not 128. It looks like it generates the characters itself, rather than using the BIOS facilities, but maybe not. In any event, they managed to squeeze upper case, lower case, numbers, APL symbols, AND all the line drawing characters and foreign symbols into the character set. >> Some of us think that APL systems that are "loaded with system functions" >> are baroque. > Hmmm... if you want to be able to do things (graphics, screen > controls, files, DOS access, ...) you have to access them somehow. > You can always go to VM to use auxiliary processors, right? :-) Well, you can go to DOS to use auxiliary processors. IBM's APL comes with auxiliary processors to do screen management, file access, talk over the communications port, handle the line printer, make BIOS requests, and even play music. The documentation supplied with the system even tells you how to write your own auxiliary processors, without changing the language or the system. > Tom "Yes, people, there really are two 'A's there" Haapanen > {allegra,decvax,ihnp4}!watmath!watdcsu!haapanen > Naturally, I'm in no way affiliated with STSC (which is probably a trademark) I'm not affiliated with IBM either, and, since I haven't used STSC's APL system, I cannot comparit with IBM's. I just wanted to set the record straight. Incidentally, I just saw a paper about the IBM APL implementation that says that it is portable! Apparently, it was written in some kind of machine-independent macro language, and so far has been ported to the IBM PC, the Series 1, and the 370. Thus if IBM comes out with some new follow-on machine to the PC, it will at least be possible to do an APL for it quickly. I think STSC will have a harder time on their hands (but of course I don't know for sure).