Editorial: Join the British APL Association

Transcribed from the printed issue; not yet reviewed. Read it in the PDF of the issue, page 3

I am addressing this editorial to the APL89 delegates of APL89, particularly non-UK delegates, who will have received this issue of Vector free of charge. The reason we are giving it away is not entirely altruistic; we want you to join the British APL Association! For overseas members, Vector is the ONLY reason for joining the BAA, so what do you get?

For me, Vector is first of all 'a good read'. It is deliberately NOT a dry technical journal, but tries to be interesting, topical, and occasionally provocative. It contains something for everyone.

First is usually the correspondence columns. Vector's policy is to print any correspondence however contentious, as long as it is at least vaguely related to APL and is not actually libellous. Attacks on the BAA committee are happily printed alongside erudite arguments over the merits of various APL keyboards.

Next there is 'The Education Vector' edited by Dr. Alan Sykes of Swansea University and aimed fairly and squarely at new APL'ers and the growing community of I-APL users. Education vector contains valuable hints for APL novices and often surprises those of us who think we know it all!

Following this you get News from Sustaining Members, a useful update on what the vendors are up to (or at least what they would have you think they are up to) and a comprehensive APL Product Guide. Several overseas organisations already take advantage of free listings in the Product Guide, and we would like to see more. The BAA would also welcome overseas companies as sustaining members - the "News" section gives you an inexpensive and convenient way to keep a significant part of the APL market informed of your products and services.

Then there are the articles. These are split into "general" and "technical". General articles often reach ( and occasionally surpass !) the standard expected of APL conference papers, but they tend to be presented in a less formal and more readable style. The technical section and "Hacker's Corner", is edited by Dave "show me your interpreter and I'll crash it in 5 minutes" Ziemann, and always contains informative snippets for the professional APL user.

Vector is published quarterly. The BAA intends to make it the leading APL journal for the English speaking world. You will find an application form for the BAA at the back of this issue, or you can contact a BAA representative at the conference. Join Today!