A#

	<language> /A sharp/ A separable component of Version 2 of the
	AXIOM* computer algebra system.  It provides a programming
	language with an optimising compiler, an intermediate code
	interpreter, and a library of data structures and
	mathematical abstractions.  The compiler produces
	stand-alone executable programs, object libraries in
	native operating system formats, portable bytecode
	libraries, C and Lisp source code.

	The A# programming language has support for object-oriented
	and functional programming styles.  Both types and functions
	are first class values that can be manipulated with a range
	of flexible and composable primitives and user programs.
	The A# language design places particular emphasis on
	compilation for efficient machine code and portability.

	Ports have been made to various 16, 32, and 64 bit
	architectures: RS/6000, SPARC, DEC Alpha, i386,
	i286, Motorola 680x0, S 370; several 
	operating systems: Linux, AIX, SunOS, HP/UX, Next, Mach and
	other Unix systems, OS/2, DOS, Microsoft Windows,
	VMS and CMS; C compilers: Xlc, gcc, Sun,
	Borland, Metaware and MIPS C.

	(1995-02-07)