Why is J discussed in comp.lang.apl?
The J language is the latest creation of Ken Iverson, the father of APL. It is discussed in the comp.lang.apl newsgroup and the APL-L mailing list, which mirrors the newsgroup. In spite of the name, the group usually has more postings about J than about APL. Periodically, readers interested in APL suggest that there be a separate group for J. The discussion that ensues has a tendency to get a bit testy and repetitious. In an attempt to avoid rehashing old arguments in the future, I’ve gathered together selected postings on this subject. Of particular interest is Kirk Iverson’s posting, which describes the actual steps involved in creating a new newsgroup (and the requirements for doing so). Given the current level of readership of comp.lang.apl, it may simply be impossible to create a comp.lang.j group, rendering all the discussion moot.
