Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!nrl-cmf!cmcl2!beta!a!jlg
From: jlg@a.UUCP (Jim Giles)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.fortran
Subject: Fortran 8x features, case sensitivity.
Message-ID: <500@a.UUCP>
Date: 3 Mar 88 03:17:17 GMT
Organization: Los Alamos Natl Lab, Los Alamos, N.M.
Lines: 45
Keywords: Standard review.


There have been a few people who remarked on the proposed Fortran 8x
standard on this newsgroup.  I feel that the discussion has been a
bit hampered by combining comments about different features into large
monolithic submissions.  I wish here to initiate discussions on some
of these features one at a time.

First, to set the record straight, the correct spelling is 'Fortran'
not 'FORTRAN'.  I don't know why, but both ANSI and ISO use the first
spelling.  No one uses 'fortran' at all.

The criterion for Fortran 8x features (in my opinion) should be to
certify existing practice or to extend the language in a significant
way.  I will use this criterion throughout this discussion.

As an example of the use of this criterion (and as the first feature to
be addressed) I will remark upon one of the features requested on the net
by Bob Corbett (ELXSI).  The suggestion was that lower case letters
should be considered distinct from upper case letters in user-defined
names.  This is certainly contrary to existing practice.  Many Fortran
compilers only recognize one case (sometimes it lower!).  Most compilers
that recognize both cases don't distinguish between them.  The only
exceptions I know are both UNIX f77 compilers (they probably distinguish
because of a bias toward C which does).

Since case sensitivity is not standard practice, it should only be included
if it adds significantly to the functionality of the language.  Here again,
it fails to meet the test.  In fact, it significantly reduces functionality
in many contexts where people are relying on case insensitivity to make
code more readible, to document code, or to process code automatically.

The only increase in functionality this feature would provide is marginal -
making more possible user-definable names available.  But if 31 characters
is not sufficient name space already, you've got other problems.

I think it's just as well to leave out case sensitivity.

J. Giles
Los Alamos

P.S.
This discussion is not occuring in a vacuum.  Just because the deadline
for public comment has passed doesn't mean that it's too late to effect
the standard.  Many of the members of the standards committee read this
newsgroup!  Really GOOD ideas from the general public WILL be considered
before the standard is ratified.