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Dyalog Ltd.: Difference between revisions
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=== Dyadic Systems consulting === | === Dyadic Systems consulting === | ||
Dyadic Systems was formed in 1976 by Ted Hare, Phil Goacher and David Crossley, a breakaway group of APL consultants from time-sharing bureau W.S. Atkins Computing. The group had been working on the [[Sigma APL]] processor, and was joined by other Atkins employees including [[Geoff Streeter]] and John Stembridge. Dyadic provided independent design and development services unaffiliated with any specific vendor. The steadily growing group of analysts gained a broad collective experience over numerous flavours of APL. While the emphasis remained with [[SHARP APL]], [[APL*PLUS]] and Sigma APL, they also worked with APLs from IBM, DEC, Honeywell, Burroughs, and others, in addition to some non-APL languages. IBM was promoting [[VSAPL]] as its primary personal and departmental computing platform; this was a potential source of further demand for consulting. | Dyadic Systems was formed in 1976 by Ted Hare, Phil Goacher and David Crossley, a breakaway group of APL consultants from time-sharing bureau W.S. Atkins Computing. The group had been working on the [[Sigma APL]] processor, and was joined by other Atkins employees including [[Geoff Streeter]] and John Stembridge. Dyadic provided independent design and development services unaffiliated with any specific vendor. The steadily growing group of analysts gained a broad collective experience over numerous flavours of APL. While the emphasis remained with [[SHARP APL]], [[APL*PLUS]] and Sigma APL, they also worked with APLs from [[IBM]], [[wikipedia:Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]], [[wikipedia:Honeywell|Honeywell]], [[wikipedia:Burroughs Corporation|Burroughs]], and others, in addition to some non-APL languages. IBM was promoting [[VSAPL]] as its primary personal and departmental computing platform; this was a potential source of further demand for consulting. | ||
During this period Dyadic hired Pauline Brand and [[Pete Donnelly]]. | During this period Dyadic hired Pauline Brand and [[Pete Donnelly]]. | ||
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The market for personal computers was quickly growing at the beginning of the 1980s. As a consulting rather than a timesharing business, Dyadic was not tied to the mainframe model, but was hindered by the small number of APL implementations for PC. One such implementation was in the firmware of the MCM micro. It had an idiosyncratic reverse implementation of the [[scan]] operator and limited the size of arrays to 255 elements along each [[axis]]. It provided the facilities to generate a GUI interface, at least in providing form-based input and output, but was slow. More substantial APLs had been implemented for the IBM 5110 and for the Motorola 68000 chip, available as Wicat computers. Even Bill Gates of Microsoft contemplated writing one, and talk to Ian Sharp of [[I.P. Sharp Associates]] about a reduced APL–how little one could get away with, but the project was cancelled before a product was released. | The market for personal computers was quickly growing at the beginning of the 1980s. As a consulting rather than a timesharing business, Dyadic was not tied to the mainframe model, but was hindered by the small number of APL implementations for PC. One such implementation was in the firmware of the MCM micro. It had an idiosyncratic reverse implementation of the [[scan]] operator and limited the size of arrays to 255 elements along each [[axis]]. It provided the facilities to generate a GUI interface, at least in providing form-based input and output, but was slow. More substantial APLs had been implemented for the IBM 5110 and for the Motorola 68000 chip, available as Wicat computers. Even Bill Gates of Microsoft contemplated writing one, and talk to Ian Sharp of [[I.P. Sharp Associates]] about a reduced APL–how little one could get away with, but the project was cancelled before a product was released. | ||
Dyadic Systems met with Zilog UK regarding the upcoming System 8000, or Z8000, microcomputer in 1981. Zilog wanted an APL for the Z8000, since the Swedish Ministry of Defence, in a call for tenders from Unix suppliers, had listed APL as a software requirement. | Dyadic Systems met with [[wikipedia:Zilog|Zilog]] UK regarding the upcoming System 8000, or [[wikipedia:Zilog Z8000|Z8000]], microcomputer in 1981. Zilog wanted an APL for the Z8000, since the Swedish Ministry of Defence, in a call for tenders from Unix suppliers, had listed APL as a software requirement. | ||
Dyalog (Europe) Ltd. was registered for this purpose in 1981. The new company blended both names, as mentioned in the press release: | Dyalog (Europe) Ltd. was registered for this purpose in 1981. The new company blended both names, as mentioned in the press release: | ||
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</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
Zilog provided Dyadic a dedicated Z8000 minicomputer and generous development facilities to develop Dyalog. Dyadic hired [[John Scholes]], another former Atkins employee who had previously left to work as a developer on another APL implementation (for the ICL 2900) as designer and chief programmer for the project. [[Geoff Streeter]] and David Crossley joined Scholes as Dyalog implementors. | Zilog provided Dyadic a dedicated Z8000 minicomputer and generous development facilities to develop Dyalog. Dyadic hired [[John Scholes]], another former Atkins employee who had previously left to work as a developer on another APL implementation (for the [[wikipedia:ICL 2900|ICL 2900]]) as designer and chief programmer for the project. [[Geoff Streeter]] and David Crossley joined Scholes as Dyalog implementors. | ||
The choice to implement Dyalog in C on a UNIX system would later enable Dyalog APL to be ported to many other systems. The choice to make Dyalog a [[Nested array model|nested]] APL like [[NARS]] and the in-process [[APL2]] would also have a major effect on Dyalog's development as a company. | The choice to implement Dyalog in [[wikipedia:C (programming language)|C]] on a [[wikipedia:UNIX|UNIX]] system would later enable Dyalog APL to be ported to many other systems. The choice to make Dyalog a [[Nested array model|nested]] APL like [[NARS]] and the in-process [[APL2]] would also have a major effect on Dyalog's development as a company. | ||
Dyalog was released at the 1983 APL Conference in Washington, a venue it shared with vendors for [[APL.68000]] and [[APL*PLUS/PC]]. Initial sales were slow due to the obscurity at the time of the nested array model, Unix operating system, and Zilog system in addition to Dyalog APL's poor performance relative to other APLs exhibited. | Dyalog was released at the [[APL83|1983 APL Conference]] in Washington, D.C., a venue it shared with vendors for [[APL.68000]] and [[APL*PLUS/PC]]. Initial sales were slow due to the obscurity at the time of the nested array model, Unix operating system, and Zilog system in addition to Dyalog APL's poor [[performance]] relative to other APLs exhibited. | ||
=== Purchase by Lynwood === | === Purchase by Lynwood === | ||
In October 1983, Dyadic Systems, suffering both from decreasing consulting profits and poor sales of Dyalog APL, was purchased by computer terminal manufacturer Lynwood Scientific Developments Limited. Dyadic was allowed to maintain Dyalog APL under Lynwood for the next seven years despite continuous losses. Lynwood was acquired in 1988 by Hunting plc. | In October 1983, Dyadic Systems, suffering both from decreasing consulting profits and poor sales of Dyalog APL, was purchased by computer terminal manufacturer Lynwood Scientific Developments Limited. Dyadic was allowed to maintain Dyalog APL under Lynwood for the next seven years despite continuous losses. Lynwood was acquired in 1988 by [[wikipedia:Hunting plc|Hunting plc]]. | ||
During this period Dyalog APL was ported to a large number of UNIX systems. While sales remained low, [[wikipedia:SimCorp|Simcorp]] began working with Dyalog in 1985. Simcorp remains a major user of Dyalog APL. | During this period Dyalog APL was ported to a large number of UNIX systems. While sales remained low, [[wikipedia:SimCorp|Simcorp]] began working with Dyalog in 1985. Simcorp remains a major user of Dyalog APL. | ||
In 1986, Dyadic began to sell UNIX hardware to be used with their APL implementation, including the IBM 6150 in July of that year. Pauline Brand directed Dyadic's hardware division, a position she would maintain until its sale in 2002. British Airways was one client and eventually expanded its use of UNIX along with its relationship with Dyadic. In 1987 Dyalog APL for the 6150 became an IBM Vendor Logo product available directly from IBM, despite being in direct competition with IBM's [[APL2]]. | In 1986, Dyadic began to sell UNIX hardware to be used with their APL implementation, including the [[IBM]] 6150 in July of that year. Pauline Brand directed Dyadic's hardware division, a position she would maintain until its sale in 2002. [[wikipedia:British Airways|British Airways]] was one client and eventually expanded its use of UNIX along with its relationship with Dyadic. In 1987 Dyalog APL for the 6150 became an IBM Vendor Logo product available directly from IBM, despite being in direct competition with IBM's [[APL2]]. | ||
Dyadic hired Andy Cooke as Sales Manager and [[Andy Shiers]] as Customer Support Analyst in July 1987. | Dyadic hired Andy Cooke as Sales Manager and [[Andy Shiers]] as Customer Support Analyst in July 1987. | ||
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In March 1990, [[John Scholes]], Pauline Brand, and [[Peter Donnelly]] bought Dyadic Systems from Hunting plc. The purchase followed an informal offer by [[STSC]] in 1989, which had been rejected. Over the decade, the majority of Dyadic's profits were generated by hardware sales under Brand while Dyalog APL gained market share but failed to show comparable profits. | In March 1990, [[John Scholes]], Pauline Brand, and [[Peter Donnelly]] bought Dyadic Systems from Hunting plc. The purchase followed an informal offer by [[STSC]] in 1989, which had been rejected. Over the decade, the majority of Dyadic's profits were generated by hardware sales under Brand while Dyalog APL gained market share but failed to show comparable profits. | ||
Dyadic added support for Dyalog APL on the Sun operating system and IBM's RS/6000 in 1990, which led to a growing user base in New York consisting of financial companies. | Dyadic added support for Dyalog APL on the [[wikipedia:SunOS|Sun]] operating system and IBM's [[wikipedia:IBM RISC System/6000|RS/6000]] in 1990, which led to a growing user base in [[wikipedia:New York City|New York]] consisting of financial companies. | ||
In 1991 [[John Daintree]] was hired to begin work on a graphical user interface, supporting the [[system function]] <source lang=apl inline>⎕WC</source>. | In 1991 [[John Daintree]] was hired to begin work on a graphical user interface, supporting the [[system function]] <source lang=apl inline>⎕WC</source>. | ||
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Also in 1991, Dyadic began collaborating with George Kunzle on the PC program which would later be named KPS (Kunzle Planning System). The two lead developers of KPS were Guy Haddleton and [[Morten Kromberg]]. | Also in 1991, Dyadic began collaborating with George Kunzle on the PC program which would later be named KPS (Kunzle Planning System). The two lead developers of KPS were Guy Haddleton and [[Morten Kromberg]]. | ||
In 2000, [[wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft]] contacted Dyadic systems to ask for their participation in the project that would later be called [[.NET]]. Dyadic responded positively and began working on [[Dyalog.NET]] | In 2000, [[wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft]] contacted Dyadic systems to ask for their participation in the project that would later be called [[.NET]]. Dyadic responded positively and began working on [[Dyalog.NET]], which was primarily a collaboration between [[John Daintree]] and Microsoft employees. | ||
=== Dyalog Limited === | === Dyalog Limited === | ||