A new look at ALTRAN

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of the principal characteristics of the ALTRAN language and system for symbolic algebra, indicating how these characteristics arose from the original design objectives set forth in the autumn of 1968. Some related mathematical problems and some recent applications are also discussed. Fortunately, the objectives of the ALTRAN project were few enough and simple enough to permit progress by a small group, yet numerous enough and complex enough to make a great many issues of contemporary computer science and mathematics relevant. While the system more than fulfills our main objective of providing an efficient tool for massive elementary algebra, it also provides context, motivation, and guidance for research on a wide range of fundamental topics. In some cases this work has already had a major impact, while in other cases exciting concepts are just beginning to take shape.