Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!apple!voder!pyramid!octopus!vsi1!daver!dlb!netcomsv!mrs From: mrs@netcom.COM (Morgan Schweers) Newsgroups: comp.lang.misc Subject: About the variable 'I' (was Re: long names (was Readability of Ada)) Message-ID: <1991Apr26.034205.27308@netcom.COM> Date: 26 Apr 91 03:42:05 GMT References: <3878@ssc-bee.ssc-vax.UUCP> <12394@dog.ee.lbl.gov> Organization: McAfee Associates Lines: 33 Greetings, Can someone confirm (preferably in a post, so my MBX doesn't flood) the truth/falsity of FORTRAN being the starter of 'I' as a generic loop variable? I learned to program when I was really young, and I got used to using FOR I=1 TO 100, and such, from reading sample programs. I still use 'I' as a generic loop variable, and the funny thing is... ALMOST EVERYONE I KNOW DOES TOO. I first realized in HS that the teacher and everyone in the class was using 'I' as the loop variable. It almost never had any other meaning. Then when I finally took FORTRAN, I discovered a possible reason. I've never seen it documented anywhere, so I was wondering if my conjecture was right. Any opinions? (*IF* you are lucky enough not to have programmed in FORTRAN at any time, it's loops were only allowed to be done with INTEGER variables, and it's INTEGERS were hardcoded. I believe 'I' was the first integer, tho I don't remember too well after some 6+ years... It's interesting to note, also, that the standard structure that I've seen people go through is 'I', then 'J', then ofttimes to 'T'. Why? I dunno! As for the person who screamed about 'C' programmers using 'i' in for loops, I've found that it makes it Real Clear(tm) that that is nothing more than an incremental loop counter. -- Morgan Schweers +----- Yeah, my programs for my boss have 'for(i' in them, what about it? ;-) -- mrs@netcom.com -----+