Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!van-bc!ubc-cs!alberta!mts.ucs.UAlberta.CA!Al_Dunbar From: userAKDU@mts.ucs.UAlberta.CA (Al Dunbar) Newsgroups: comp.lang.fortran Subject: Re: Fortran vs. C for numerical work Message-ID: <1995@mts.ucs.UAlberta.CA> Date: 8 Dec 90 18:51:44 GMT References: <671.275e3c4a@venus.ycc.yale.edu> Organization: MTS Univ of Alberta Lines: 32 In article <671.275e3c4a@venus.ycc.yale.edu>, tang@venus.ycc.yale.edu writes: >Marc Roussel writes <<>> > >However, since languages are part of CS, and if there were enough CSists >around to convince people who have not made up their mind yet, we might >see a demise of Fortran. > >There is a growing trend towards using more elaborate data structures. >For example, discrete-particle simulations are frequently used in numerical >statistical mechanical systems, evolution of solid structures under random >growth environment (diffusion is really a random process). In just these >two cases, sorting, and random access of elements are the likely to be the >most time-consumming tasks, Fortran may not be the appropriate language >(correct me if I am wrong). You *are* wrong, but you will have to correct yourself :-) > >IMHO, these capabilities should be added to the >language (Fortran 90 may have them, I do not know much about F90) so that >there is no need to switch to a different language Generalized data structures *are* in Fortran 90. In addition, Fortran will continue to have more primary data types than C (i.e. logical and complex). -------------------+------------------------------------------- Al Dunbar | Edmonton, Alberta | "this mind left intentionally blank" CANADA | - Manuel Writer -------------------+-------------------------------------------