APL Statistics User Group (meeting report)

Transcribed from the printed issue; not yet reviewed. Read it in the PDF of the issue, page 63

The re-formed group met in the pleasant surroundings of the Customer Centre, IBM, South Bank, on 5th June, at 12.30 p.m. After lunch, overlooking the Thames, talks were given by Professor Barry Wetherill and Professor Alan Hawkes.

Barry Wetherill spoke on “Intelligent Statistical Software”, illustrating initially how “dumb” software failed to highlight problems in data sets. For these various problems he suggested appropriate diagnostic tests which could be used. He concluded by showing how the measures are included in the Survey Package he designed including data validation.

The second talk by Alan Hawkes was on the “Role of APL in Teaching and Research”. This talk detailed the approach used at Swansea to teach statistics students through the medium of APL. He then illustrated his own use of APL in research emphasising the speed of using APL compared with other languages.

After the talks a discussion of the future role of the group took place, and format of its future meetings.

One suggestion which arose was the formation of a Program Subgroup to consider the possibilities of a standardized APL workspace for statistics. The group were not totally in agreement over the role of this subgroup, but thought it worthy of pursuit.

Another suggestion was the meeting should allow for “hands-on” experience of software. It was thought that future meetings would have a workshop session in the morning followed by talks in the afternoon. To resolve other problems it was decided to send out a survey! For further details of either program subgroup or future meetings of group, please contact:

Jake Ansell,
APL Statistics User Group,
Dept. of Management Science & Statistics,
University College of Swansea,
Singleton Park,
Swansea,
SA2 8PP.