On 2017-04-13 6:54 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
On 04/13/2017 02:19 PM, Brent Hilpert via cctalk wrote:
While one might argue the proliferation of BASIC on micros followed
from BG/PA & SW/SJ, I'd say their implementations were following a
trend rather than initiating it. BASIC was gaining prominence prior
to their implementations of it. It was in all 3 of the pre-microproc
personal computers: HP9830, Wang2200, IBM5100. It was becoming
popular and spreading in the small-business world through the
Pick-based systems (albeit an extended version of the language). It
had gained awareness through the educational system and timesharing
systems. All prior to MS & Apple.
As bad as it was, it was present in the right place (small, easy to
implement, interpretable & easy to use) at the right time (the
nascent small-system and personal computer era).
...or that Iverson language, APL, present on the 5100 and what was
probably one of the the first microcomputers, the MCM/70.
So, whence APL today?
Still lives on -- Dyalog, J, K, etc. Recently discovered the #jsoftware
channel on Freenode for APL fans.
--Toby
--Chuck
