The Origins of Apl (1974) [video]

Posted13 days agoActive6d ago

ofalkaed

53 points

11 comments

youtube.comTech Discussionstory

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Programming LanguagesAplComputer History

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Programming Languages

Apl

Computer History

A 1974 video on the origins of APL has sparked a nostalgic discussion among commenters, with many sharing fond memories of their early encounters with the programming language and related IBM technology. Lee Phillips reminisced about using APL as his first programming language, while NetMageSCW recalled discovering APL through a bargain book and taking a class in the Architecture curriculum. The thread also veered into related tangents, such as the history of IBM's "Thinkpad" name and the evolution of APL, with ofalkaed [Author] digging deeper into the formal description of System/360. As commenters shared their personal anecdotes, the thread coalesced around a shared appreciation for the language's enduring influence.

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Key moments

01Story posted
Dec 21, 2025 at 8:43 PM EST
13 days ago
Step 01
02First comment
Dec 28, 2025 at 3:35 AM EST
6d after posting
Step 02
03Peak activity
8 comments in 156-168h
Hottest window of the conversation
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04Latest activity
Dec 28, 2025 at 3:48 PM EST
6d ago
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Discussion (11 comments)

Showing 12 comments

bch

6d ago

1 reply

In the intro I liked the precursors to the IBM "Thinkpad" name.

ofalkaedAuthor

6d ago

Yeah, I never knew that bit of history (probably did and just forgot it) and dug into it some after watching this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_(slogan)

jibal

6d ago

1 reply

9-track tape drives, drum disks, rectangular switches and lights, IBM "THINK" logo, fast card readers ... all bring back many personal memories.

znpy

6d ago

I'd LOVE to read more about these memories. If you're willing to write down somewhere those memories from that time I'd be happy to read them.

Also, it would be nice if you'd complement that with describing how the world span at the time. I find that often putting some happenings in context helps understanding choices and events better.

Thank you in advance!

ofalkaedAuthor

6d ago

1 reply

This submission popping back up from the second chance pool got me to some digging for the formal description of system/360[0], this is not the APL we know today but the APL outlined in Iverson's A Programming Language[1].

[0] https://www.cs.trinity.edu/~jhowland/class.files.cs2321.html...

[1] https://www.jsoftware.com/papers/APL.htm

6d ago

there is also "computer architecture: concepts and evolution" by blaauw and brooks which also uses apl throughout.

https://search.worldcat.org/title/Computer-architecture-:-co...

dtgriscom

6d ago

1 reply

[delayed]

leephillips

6d ago

I was an undergraduate there. David Kelly was my advisor. APL was my first programming language (using the DecWriter paper terminals) and it’s still my favorite.

AndruLuvisi

6d ago

"The simple things are not obvious."

Truer words were never spoken.

NetMageSCW

6d ago

I was fascinated with APL after picking up a book on it at a bargain store and so took an APL class in college. It wasn’t offered in my CS curriculum, it was in the Architecture curriculum.

RyanHamilton

6d ago

My favorite quote from this video, that I wish more languages would embrace is:

"I went from application to application trying to use the same techniques. The most encouraging thing is that they would work. After 2-3 years during which time the language had grown by accretion, it grew and grew, eventually I found it was shrinking.

    Essentially the idea was once you look at enough different applications you begin to see what is the general notion. So I came to generalisations that allowed me to take out whole chunks of special things I had put in.

    Furthermore to my surprise it turns out the general ideas are usually much simpler to understand than any of the special cases."

TruffleLabs

6d ago

For some more APL history see the "50 Years of APL" at the Dyalog URL

https://www.dyalog.com/50-years-of-apl.htm

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