Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcsun!i2unix!inria!ftc!ndoduc
From: ndoduc@framentec.fr (Nhuan Doduc)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.fortran
Subject: Re: Fortran Compiler (386)
Message-ID: <1529@ftc.framentec.fr>
Date: 2 Oct 90 14:33:44 GMT
References: <11771@pucc.Princeton.EDU>
Sender: news@framentec.fr
Lines: 36

In <11771@pucc.Princeton.EDU> BVAUGHAN@pucc.Princeton.EDU (Barbara Vaughan) writes:

>I'm planning to get a new Fortran compiler for my new 80386 computer (Dell
>System 310, with math coprocessor.  At present, I have two Fortran compilers:
>Lahey F77L, version 2.11, with which I have been very satisfied; and Microsoft
>Fortran version 3.2, with which I have been moderately satisfied.  I need a
>compiler that will compile code for machines without a math coprocessor, which
>is why I use the Microsoft compiler from time to time.  However, I could
>continue to use my old compiler for that purpose.  I am looking for reviews and
>personal recommendations for the latest versions of both the Lahey and Micro-
>soft Fortrans.  I'm especially interested in the ability to use expanded mem-
>ory and any other improvements that will take advavtage of my 386.  If there
>is another compiler I haven't mentioned that is clearly head and shoulders
>above the two I have mentioned, I would like to hear about those, too.  Thanks
>very much

>Barbara Vaughan
>BVAUGHAN@PUCC.Princeton.edu

Since version 3, Lahey allows floating emulation while MicroSoft has always
done this (altmath lib or /FPa in version 4 and now 5) so I still recommend
Lahey which, from my personal view point, is superior to Microsoft.

If you want to taste 386 new potentialities, the MicroWay's is a must; Lahey
is also not bad. Polyhedron's FTN 386/486 even can take advantage of the 486.

To my knowledge, FTN/486 is the only one that uses the extended mode (with
a Dos extender) and that is sensitive to the existence of the coprocessor at
run time

Have fun !

--nh
Nhuan DODUC, 
Framentec-Cognitech, Paris, France, ndoduc@framentec.fr or ndoduc@cognitech.fr,
Association Francaise des Utilisateurs d'Unix, France, doduc@afuu.fr