Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!nrl-cmf!ames!amdcad!sun!pitstop!sundc!seismo!uunet!steinmetz!vdsvax!sierra!lamson
From: lamson@sierra.uucp (scott h lamson)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.fortran
Subject: Re: FORTRAN 88
Message-ID: <5858@vdsvax.steinmetz.ge.com>
Date: 27 Oct 88 12:20:51 GMT
References: <669@convex.UUCP> <5826@vdsvax.steinmetz.ge.com> <673@convex.UUCP>
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Distribution: comp.lang.fortran
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In-reply-to: psmith@mozart.uucp's message of 25 Oct 88 11:54:51 GMT

In article <673@convex.UUCP> psmith@mozart.uucp (Presley Smith) writes:

> psmith@mozart.uucp (Presley Smith) writes
>  I take some 
>   exception to the argument that the vendors are ignoring the input from
>   their users or that the some other group knows better than the vendors
>   what "users" want.  The vendors are listening. 

I didn't say vendors maliciously were ignoring user input or made NO
effort to solicit user opinion.  I did say and maintain that, at least
here in GE (and apparently elsewhere), those efforts were ineffective.
Because of that, your comments to X3J3 should be either your personal
opinion (just like mine are) or possibly Convex Computer Corp's
official opinion (if they chose), but should not carry the weight that
you are speaking for all Convex users (such as myself).  That is the
real point I wanted to make, and I hope that's what I said.
{now if you want to nit pick, we have only had our convex since march,
 but that isn't the point since the IBM and DEC machines have been
here for a long time.}  

> It's up to the users
>   to make their views known. 
Who do you want me to talk to?  If my letter to X3J3 wasn't clear 
enough, or if the person at Convex I should talk to can't get it, let
me know.

User groups like DECUS and SHARE will not get enough real fortran
users.  Better forums would be SIAM, APS, ACS, AIAA, etc.  
But that raises the issue of who should be publicizing the draft
standard, X3J3 members, vendors or ANSI???
        Scott|  ARPA:      lamson@ge-crd.arpa
       Lamson|  UUCP:      uunet!steinmetz!sierra!lamson
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