Xref: utzoo comp.lang.fortran:4236 comp.lang.c:34420
Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca!mroussel
From: mroussel@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca (Marc Roussel)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.fortran,comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: Fortran vs. C for numerical work
Message-ID: <1990Nov30.163613.9562@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca>
Date: 30 Nov 90 16:36:13 GMT
References: <2392:Nov2902:59:0590@kramden.acf.nyu.edu> <7339@lanl.gov> <1990Nov30.145649.17688@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Followup-To: comp.lang.misc
Organization: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto
Lines: 34


     I think I'm pretty typical of Fortran users.  I know Fortran and a
smattering of other languages.  I use Fortran mostly because

     a) I can write code quickly in this language.
     b) Compilers exist for it on any machine I'm ever likely to use.

     I don't want to use C.  From what little I've been exposed to it, I
don't like it.  C has a nasty syntax which I don't have time to learn.
Now everybody who's been trying to convince scientific programmers like
me to learn C, go away!  Maybe you have the time to waste, but I don't.
     Every algorithm I've ever used is expressible in Fortran.  (I've
even written algorithms that create trees in Fortran using no
extensions other than recursion... That's right, no pointers, just good
old arrays.)  If ever I run across a problem that I can't code in
Fortran, then I'll consider other languages.  When the time comes, I may
even ask some of you what language you think is appropriate.  Until
then, I don't want your silly-ass opinion.  If you want to compare
languages, do it on comp.lang.misc where someone cares (notice the
followup-to line).
     Look, if someone out there can suggest a computer language that's
easy to learn and code in and that has the sort of widespread base that
Fortran does, I'll listen.  C just isn't for scientific programmers
like me so it's no use trying to convince me (and probably 90% of the
rest of the readership of this group) otherwise.  No one sensible would
say that Fortran is the best language for everything, but it's a more
than adequate language for most scientific computing.
     While I'm at it, I sincerely hope that some cleaner language like
Turing wipes C off the face of this planet.  I've about had it with all
this "my language is better than yours" garbage from the C folk and can
wish nothing for them other than extinction.

				Marc R. Roussel
                                mroussel@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca


Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com