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From: mjs@hubcap.clemson.edu (m j saltzman)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.fortran,sci.math,comp.edu
Subject: Re: Fortran for Math Majors
Message-ID: <13138@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Date: 15 Feb 91 19:25:52 GMT
References: <1991Feb12.151552.17331@pdn.paradyne.com>
Organization: Clemson University
Lines: 57

In article <1991Feb12.151552.17331@pdn.paradyne.com> reggie@paradyne.com (George W. Leach) writes:
>
>      A student of mine had a question that I wanted to pose to the members
>of this newsgroup.  This person intends on majoring in Math and perhaps
>minoring in CS.  The question pertains to how much is Fortran used in a
>typical Mathematics Department for undergraduate coursework?  The reason
>for the question is that this person wants to decide if she should purchase
>a PC-based compiler or not.
>
>      Is any other language used in Math Departments other than Fortran?
>Are there libraries available that you use for special purposes?  If so,
>are they typically used on a PC?

Here at Clemson, the numerical mathematics courses are often taught
using FORTRAN.  The machines available for student use include PCs and
Macintoshes, but mostly a mainframe running TSO 8^( 8^( 8^(!
As far as I know, almost no Computer Science curricula currently use
FORTRAN as the principal instructional language (flame away, I'm ready...).
The procedure-oriented languages of choice for CS include Pascal, C, 
Modula-2, PL/C (and probably other "structured" languages).  Math
curricula that include computation with procedure-oriented languages
are probably using FORTRAN or C, but many Math curricula (as you've
seen) don't emphasize computing, or use symbolic languages.

Another factor is that even halfway-decent FORTRAN compilers for PCs are 
relatively expensive.  Pretty good C and Pascal compilers are readily
available for very reasonable prices (from Borland, for example).

Finally, I think that it is relatively easy to learn to write
FORTRAN once you know almost any other procedural language.  (Now
the flames are really going to fly!  Oh, well...)

With all those personal biases in mind, I would offer the following 
advice:  Don't buy a PC FORTRAN compiler until you know if the
school you choose will have a heavy emphasis on FORTRAN.  If you
want to learn programming (still a useful skill, IMHO, despite the
advent of symbolic and expression-oriented languages), buy 
Turbo Pascal or Turbo C or some other low-priced Pascal or C 
compiler and learn that.  If you need FORTRAN later, it will be a
snap to learn, and you can always get the compiler then.
(If you are completely new to programming, I'd suggest starting
with Pascal, I think, although I don't know much about the
latest object-oriented Turbo Pascal.)

>Thanks,
>
>George
>-- 
>George W. Leach					AT&T Paradyne 
>reggie@paradyne.com				Mail stop LG-133
>Phone: 1-813-530-2376				P.O. Box 2826
>FAX: 1-813-530-8224				Largo, FL 34649-2826 USA

		Matthew Saltzman
		mjs@clemson.edu

(I am not affiliated with Borland.  My opinions are my own.  Institutions
don't have opinions.  Free advice is worth what you pay for it.)