Programming ecology or APL and the world at large

ABSTRACT

APL, like any programming language, interacts with various environments and individuals. How it does so and how it evolves in response to these external influences are important to the continuing health and survival of the language. It can also have a profound effect on the evolution of these same environments and individuals, since APL is a part of their universe, just as they are part of its universe. This paper examines the demands and opportunities of interacting with these external influences and the means by which APL has tried to deal with them as a set of mutually interdependent systems, i.e., an ecology. It also proposes some future evolutionary directions for APL which should not only insure its survival but gain it a dominant position in the programming ecology. Not the least conclusion is that APL must be responsible for its own success.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
      D.3.2 Language Classifications

          Nouns: APL

General Terms:
Languages