Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!decwrl!hplabs!hpda!hpisod1!hpcllla!hpclisp!hpclcdb!cdb
From: cdb@hpclcdb.HP.COM
Newsgroups: comp.lang.fortran
Subject: Re: Fortran 8X
Message-ID: <6690001@hpclcdb.HP.COM>
Date: Tue, 3-Nov-87 16:23:57 EST
Article-I.D.: hpclcdb.6690001
Posted: Tue Nov  3 16:23:57 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Nov-87 12:14:28 EST
References: <700@its63b.ed.ac.uk>
Organization: HP ITG/ISO Computer Language Lab
Lines: 64


 > : >   For anyone who might be interested, the proposed revised Fortran
 > : >standard has been announced for public review.  [......]
 > : >
 > : >   The document, and the internal comments and objections to it, can be
 > : >ordered for $50 from Global Engineering Documents, 800-854-7179.
 > : 
 > :   This number cannot be called from overseas. A regular phone number and
 > : address would be helpful.
 > The address is ANSI X3 Secretariat, 311 First Street, NW, Suite 500,
 > Washington, DC 20001-2178, USA.  I do not have the phone number; sorry.

No, the Secretariat has contracted out for documentation services to Global
Engineering.  Vital stats on the public review :

Duration : October 23, 1987 to February 23, 1988

Copies of the Draft Standard are $50 from Global Engineering Documents Co.
 
(714) 540-9870 (worldwide)
(800) 854-7179 (West Coast - toll-free)
(800) 248-0084 (East Coast - toll-free)
 
Ask for the X3.9 Standard.
 
  
Send Comments to :
 
X3J3 Public Review   
c/o CBEMA   
Suite 500
311 First Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001-2178
 
 (CBEMA is the ANSI X3 Secretariat)

ANSI procedures require the technical committee (X3J3) to reply to EVERY
public review letter received during the review period.

For those who find $50 a little steep or standardese a little ( :-) ) boring,
two members of X3J3 have written a tutorial book, "FORTRAN 8x EXPLAINED" which
is available for $19.95 from Oxford University Press, 200 Madison Avenue, 
NY, NY 10016, (212) 679-7300.  I haven't seen the book yet, but (sight unseen) 
it has to be more readable than ANY standards document.  Before anyone asks, 
no, I don't have any financial interest in the book.  I will admit to liking 
its authors and its likely slant on the draft Standard.

The above isn't a commercial - the below is.  Please write the committee with
your comments, both positive and negative.  Three or four (very) large computer
vendors are opposing the draft Standard and there have been rumors in print
(e.g., "Datamation", October 15, 1987) of letter-writing campaigns organized
by these vendors, presumably through their users' groups.  In other words,
this is all very political.  Assuming that something you like is safe
and inevitable since it's in the draft - isn't.  Somehow I doubt that I
need to encourage the writing of negative letters :-).

There is some work going on by X3J3 in parallel with the public review.
Three main additions are being proposed and considered : Kanji support,
some sort of pointer facility, and reconsideration of BIT data type.
"Being considered" means exactly that, no prognosis is possible at this
time.  X3J3 meets next week in Fort Lauderdale and again in February at
New Orleans.
						Carl Burch
						hplabs!hpda!cdb