Compound superconductors with the Al5 structure carry the promise of the second generation in practical superconductivity. They will provide higher operating magnetic fields at higher tem- peratures than the preceding alloy superconductors. To fulfill this promise, their brittle nature must be accommodated in a fila- mentary structure. Achieving this has been no simple task and imaginative research and clever production techniques have led to many usable conductor configurations. In addition, several new and exciting possibilities are being proposed; for example, in situ processing promises...