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From: phil@sivax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: Microsoft Fortran
Message-ID: <246@sivax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 12-May-86 15:18:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: sivax.246
Posted: Mon May 12 15:18:03 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 14-May-86 21:47:32 EDT
References: <92@cascade.ARPA> <1958@dalcs.UUCP>
Organization: System Industries, Milpitas, Ca
Lines: 36

> In article <92@cascade.ARPA> leeke@su-cascade.ARPA (Steven D. Leeke) writes:
> >Does anyone out there have Microsoft's latest version of their Fortran compiler
> >that would be willing to post or send me a review?  This is for a friend and
> >he has a Mac Plus so HFS/New Roms compatibility, and whether it runs any better
> >with 1meg vs. 512k would be nice things to know in general.  In addition, of
> >course, lots of detail on implementation, conformance to F77, bugs, performance
> 
> After failing to get my version of Fortran to run (original Absoft, v 2.0(b))
> my new Mac+ (it works fine on my Lisa), I borrowed a colleague's newer
> Microsoft version (v. 2.1 I think). I would not run on the +, despite trying 
> lots of games like taking everything out of folders.
> 
> So I phoned Microsoft. Here is what I understand they told me. Yes, they
> know it will not run on the + (HFS I think is the real culprit). Yes, they
> are working on it. When will it be available? Sometime this summer, in a 
> vague sort of way... . Will be an upgrade? Yes. I didn't ask about cost.
> 
> In a general sort of way, I am not superimpressed with Apple's commitment
> to upward compatibility. Many products still run, but Fortran is a 
> significant example of one that does not. As for games, at least 3 good
> ones don't run, and I do enjoy relaxing with them sometimes...or I used to,
> although some (but not all) still run on my Lisa.

MICROSOFT is not the ones who wrote MS FTN.  It was written by ABSOFT in 
Michigan and licensed for sale by Microsoft, so Microsoft is NOT working on it.

Absoft IS WORKING ON IT, as a matter of fact I have a beta test version (V2.2)
that is much greatly improved than V2.1 and it does support HFS completely.

There are also many new example pgms with the 2.2 kit to show how to do some
things.  

I think it is great.  Absoft sent the final release to Microsoft end of April
or early May.   So bug Microsoft again.

Phil Hunt