Technical Definitions: What is A Programming Language? A Programming Language Definition.

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A Programming Language Definition

(APL) A language designed originally by Ken Iverson at {Harvard University} in 1957-1960 as a notation for the concise expression of mathematical {algorithms}.  It went unnamed (or just called {Iverson's Language}) and unimplemented for many years.  Finally a subset, APL\360, was implemented in 1964. APL is an {interactive} {array-oriented} language and programming environment with many innovative features.  It was originally written using a non-standard {character set} but now can use {ISO8485}.  It is {dynamically typed} with {dynamic scope}.  APL introduced several functional forms but is not {purely functional}. {Dyadic Systems} {APL/W} is one of the languages that will be available under {Microsoft}'s {.NET} initative. Versions: APL\360, APL SV, {Dyalog APL}, VS APL, Sharp APL, Sharp APL/PC, APL*PLUS, APL*PLUS/PC, APL*PLUS/PC II, MCM APL, Honeyapple, DEC APL, Cognos {APL2000 (http://www.apl2000.com/)}, IBM {APL2}. See also {Kamin's interpreters}. {APLWEB} translates {WEB} to {APL}. {Dijkstra} said that APL was a language designed to perfection - in the wrong direction. ["A Programming Language", Kenneth E. Iverson, Wiley, 1962]. ["APL: An Interactive Approach", 1976]. (2002-01-19)

Definition Provided By Denis Howe