Dear Haskellers & APLers, On 03/08/2012 02:44 PM, Simon Peyton-Jones wrote:
Friends
Many of you will know the array language APLhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APL_%28programming_language%29. It focuses on arrays and in particular has a rich, carefully-thought-out array algebra.
An obvious idea is: what would a Haskell library that embodies APL's array algebra look like? In conversation with John Scholes and some of his colleagues in the APL community a group of us developed some ideas for a possible API, which you can find on the Haskell wiki here: http://www.haskell.org/haskellwiki/APL
However, we have all gone our separate ways, and I think it's entirely possible that that the idea will go no further. So this message is to ask:
* Is anyone interested in an APL-style array library in Haskell?
* If so, would you like to lead the process of developing the API?
I think there are quite a few people who would be willing to contribute, including some core gurus from the APL community: John Scholes, Arthur Whitney, and Roger Hui. +1
If it may also be an opportunity to think of a standard, efficient type-class API for multidimensional arrays numeric programmers would find a new heaven in Haskell too. With type-level nats one could also hope to reach efficiency of FiSh or SAC compiler (if anyone remembers these functional wonders, that used type-level array shapes to improve efficiency of array computations beyond that of naive C-code.) Only one note would be that it is to be ultimately included in Haskell Platform, one needs a more permissive licence than that of HMatrix (since all HP packages are BSD3, I believe?) -- Best regards Michał J. Gajda yi, hPDB