Machine Learning and Big Data with kdb+/q

CHAPTER 1Fundamentals of the q Programming Language

This chapter starts our journey to programming with q. It aims to equip the reader with the basic concepts and ideas needed to code in q. In the subsequent chapters, we will delve deeper into the detail of the language and its features. We will always consider their applications to practical tasks as the primary motivation for our book.

1.1 THE (NOT SO VERY) FIRST STEPS IN q

We start with the assumption that the reader already has a working installation of kdb+ on his or her computer. Hence the not so very in this section's title. If the reader is fortunate enough, kdb+ has already been installed by the system administrator. Otherwise, the best strategy is to follow the instructions under “Download” on http://kx.com/.

kdb+ is available for industry-standard 32- and 64-bit architectures (including AMD Opteron, Intel Xeon, and Sun) running Linux, Windows or Solaris. As of the time of writing, Kx Systems offer a limited version of kdb+/q for non-commercial use. “Commercial use” is defined as any use for the user's or any third party's financial gain or other economic benefits, whether this is production use or beta testing. However, developing a proof-of-concept application, even in a commercial setting, is not regarded as commercial use. The non-commercial version can also be used for academic research. It is also fully suitable for exploration of the language as presented in this book. This book does not dwell on the nuances ...