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  3. Why is FORTRAN cool again?

Why is FORTRAN cool again?

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved The Lounge
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  • M Offline
    M Offline
    MikeMarq
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

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    • M MikeMarq

      I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

      R Offline
      R Offline
      Rajesh R Subramanian
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      From the link: * No Real Programmer works 9 to 5. (Unless it's the ones at night.) * Real Programmers don't wear neckties. * Real Programmers arrive at work in time for lunch. * Real Programmers don't know how to cook. Grocery stores aren't open at three in the morning. Real Programmers survive on Twinkies and coffee. Matches my traits! BTW, it's surprising how FORTRAN usage has increased. :)

      “Follow your bliss.” – Joseph Campbell

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      • M MikeMarq

        I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

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        peterchen
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Possibly Fortran for .NET - there are still many people with goodexperience in Fortran. Combine that with the possibilities of a modern environment on a common system. Generic Tiobe disclaimer: it's "questions about <language>", only loosely correlated to "people using <language>".

        Agh! Reality! My Archnemesis![^]
        | FoldWithUs! | sighist | µLaunch - program launcher for server core and hyper-v server.

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        • M MikeMarq

          I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

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          R Offline
          Robert Surtees
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Because there is no construct cooler than the Arithmetic IF[^]

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          • R Rajesh R Subramanian

            From the link: * No Real Programmer works 9 to 5. (Unless it's the ones at night.) * Real Programmers don't wear neckties. * Real Programmers arrive at work in time for lunch. * Real Programmers don't know how to cook. Grocery stores aren't open at three in the morning. Real Programmers survive on Twinkies and coffee. Matches my traits! BTW, it's surprising how FORTRAN usage has increased. :)

            “Follow your bliss.” – Joseph Campbell

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            A Offline
            AspDotNetDev
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            :thumbsup: I never realized I was such a stereotype!

            [Forum Guidelines]

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            • R Robert Surtees

              Because there is no construct cooler than the Arithmetic IF[^]

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              Dr Walt Fair PE
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              You mean besides the computed GO TO?

              CQ de W5ALT

              Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

              R 1 Reply Last reply
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              • M MikeMarq

                I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

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                S Offline
                Super Lloyd
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                Really?!?

                1 Java 17.509%
                2 C 17.279%
                3 PHP 9.908%
                4 C++ 9.610%
                5 VB 6.574%
                6 C# 4.264%

                I found it surprising! How do they get this result anyway?

                A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station.... _________________________________________________________ My programs never have bugs, they just develop random features.

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                • M MikeMarq

                  I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

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                  D Offline
                  daroczy
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Who's going to care about Fortran nowadays?

                  F 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • M MikeMarq

                    I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

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                    W Offline
                    winsteps
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    That old "real programmers" document is talking about Fortran 77 or earlier. Since then, there have been Fortrans 90, 95, 2003. These now include all those structured features which make it difficult for end-user mathematicians to match the source code with their algebra and flow-charts. But current Fortran compilers can compile original F77 programs! Fortran features backward-compatibility. I maintain Fortran programs originally written in the 1980s for obsolete computers with obsolete operating systems, but the programs continue to work correctly. The only real change is that the user-interface needs tweaking with each migration to a new operating system. Hardware comes and goes. Operating systems come and go. But some software needs to go on forever .... :) The biggest problem for long-term Fortran maintenance is that data files become inaccessible as their storage media become obsolete. Paper tape, punched cards, big disks, data cassettes, zip drives, 8-inch diskettes, 5.25 inch diskettes, now 3.5 inch diskettes ... It is a race against technological innovation to move the data from one storage medium to another. And don't trust other people to look after your data and back-up files for you. They can be gone like a cloud in the winds of time.

                    Mike L.

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                    • M MikeMarq

                      I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

                      M Offline
                      M Offline
                      Mark_Wallace
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      When exactly was the three-way IF statement not cool?

                      I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!

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                      • M MikeMarq

                        I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        Mustafa Ismail Mustafa
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        :sigh: Do you realize the way they measure language usage is just silly beyond silly? It's like saying world wide corned beef production is up 3000% because 7 penguins died due to red devil attacks. Its all a farce I tell you and this has to come up in the lounge every so often. I think Rama Guru would back me up on this.

                        If the post was helpful, please vote, eh! Current activities: Book: Devils by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Project: Hospital Automation, final stage Learning: Image analysis, LINQ Now and forever, defiant to the end. What is Multiple Sclerosis[^]?

                        J 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • M MikeMarq

                          I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

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                          V Offline
                          VE2
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          IF (FORTRAN.EQ.COOL)THEN IMBACK=YES! ELSE CSHARP=RULES

                          73

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                          • S Super Lloyd

                            Really?!?

                            1 Java 17.509%
                            2 C 17.279%
                            3 PHP 9.908%
                            4 C++ 9.610%
                            5 VB 6.574%
                            6 C# 4.264%

                            I found it surprising! How do they get this result anyway?

                            A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station.... _________________________________________________________ My programs never have bugs, they just develop random features.

                            D Offline
                            D Offline
                            Dan Neely
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            The number of hits in google, yahoo, etc, etc. :rolleyes: IIRC they massage it somewhat, but that's ultimately what it comes down to.

                            3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18

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                            • D Dan Neely

                              The number of hits in google, yahoo, etc, etc. :rolleyes: IIRC they massage it somewhat, but that's ultimately what it comes down to.

                              3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18

                              S Offline
                              S Offline
                              Super Lloyd
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              mm... C++ should be before C then, as it is so much more error prone! :laugh:

                              A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station.... _________________________________________________________ My programs never have bugs, they just develop random features.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • M MikeMarq

                                I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

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                                T Offline
                                T M Gray
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                Back in my college days the people who took FORTRAN classes were in the geopgraphy department. Considering how huge "location" was as a topic at SxSW (and everywhere else) maybe that is the driver.

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                                • M MikeMarq

                                  I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

                                  D Offline
                                  D Offline
                                  dpminusa
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Functional Programming and Parallelism Support perhaps. http://cs.gmu.edu/cne/pjd/PUBS/CACMcols/cacmJun10.pdf[^] Microsoft has introduced F# for this. Several others exist. Some dialects of Fortran may still be ahead in completness and performance. Seems plausible to me.

                                  "Coding for fun and profit ... mostly fun"

                                  E 1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • R Rajesh R Subramanian

                                    From the link: * No Real Programmer works 9 to 5. (Unless it's the ones at night.) * Real Programmers don't wear neckties. * Real Programmers arrive at work in time for lunch. * Real Programmers don't know how to cook. Grocery stores aren't open at three in the morning. Real Programmers survive on Twinkies and coffee. Matches my traits! BTW, it's surprising how FORTRAN usage has increased. :)

                                    “Follow your bliss.” – Joseph Campbell

                                    F Offline
                                    F Offline
                                    Fabio Franco
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    Oh my... It is a stereotype... I thought I was lazy by getting to work late... Good thing this is a good thing :-D

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • M MikeMarq

                                      I like to check the tiobe index http://www.tiobe.com/index.php/content/paperinfo/tpci/index.html[^] every once in awhile to see what the trends are and usually it's pretty easy to explain why a language is rapidly gaining in popularity. For instance Objective-C is benifiting from the Iphone and Go is a new language so probably people are curious/trying it out. But I was suprised to find Fortran has almost doubled it's share since last year and is in the top 20 now. Is "real programming" coming back in style or something http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/real.programmers.html[^] :laugh:?

                                      S Offline
                                      S Offline
                                      snavece
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      Some of us still use computers to crunch numbers and FORTRAN is hard to beat. And as one of the previous posters said the old code still runs. I know of 40+ year old code that is still running.

                                      Clayton

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                                      • D Dr Walt Fair PE

                                        You mean besides the computed GO TO?

                                        CQ de W5ALT

                                        Walt Fair, Jr., P. E. Comport Computing Specializing in Technical Engineering Software

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                                        Robert Surtees
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        Ah, a connoisseur. It's really the only statement you need.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • D dpminusa

                                          Functional Programming and Parallelism Support perhaps. http://cs.gmu.edu/cne/pjd/PUBS/CACMcols/cacmJun10.pdf[^] Microsoft has introduced F# for this. Several others exist. Some dialects of Fortran may still be ahead in completness and performance. Seems plausible to me.

                                          "Coding for fun and profit ... mostly fun"

                                          E Offline
                                          E Offline
                                          englebart
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          I concur. Parallel is all the rage. Fortran for the Crays and IBM vector processors had parallel extensions 25 years ago!

                                          D 1 Reply Last reply
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