Re: Current Usses for Fortran ??

From: Richard Maine (nospam_at_see.signature)
Date: 08/25/04 

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 08:33:27 -0700

Danguard <danguard_robot@hotmail.com> writes:

> So, my question is: why you use F77 and not a more modern Fortran??

Mostly I don't use f77, but use the more modern versions instead.
I gave up on f77 nearly 15 years ago, even a little before the first
f90 compiler was out. Although I knew f77 well and had extensive
experience in it, I concluded that it was just too awkward for the
new projects I was doing then.

But as to why people would use f77, the main reasons are:

1. They are working with old codes written in f77. This is a big one;
   it is a reason that still sometimes applies to me.

2. The availability of free f77 compilers is wider than that of f90
   ones. Note the word "free". There are plenty of f90 compilers
   for sale. In fact, it is getting harder to buy new compilers
   restricted to f77 than ones that also do f90 or better. (All
   f90 comilers can also do f77). This reason is gradually going
   away. You can now get free f90 compilers for Windows and Linux.
   More are on the way. (The free ones do have limitations, but
   if you don't fit in those limitations, there really shouldn't
   be much an issue with the cost of most of the commercial
   compilers).

3. Some people are just used to f77 and don't want to change or
   feel the need to. I'd label this as probably the single largest
   real reason. Sometimes I'm sure this is the underlying reason
   when other factors are cited.

   Please note that I do not necessarily imply anything negative about
   people with this reason. For some people, in some situations,
   this may be the best choice. There are certainly choices in life
   where I have decided that I don't want to change an old practice
   or particularly feel the need to. Fortran just doesn't happen
   to be one of the places where I made that kind of choice.

4. Some people are forced to use f77 by outside constraints (management,
   customers, whatever). Those outside constrants may in turn arise
   from any of the previous 3 causes. I had this happen to me on one
   relatively recent project that was subsequently cancelled (X-33).
   I'm convinced that in that case, it was purely a prejudice of a
   particular manager; if I had told him that the tool I preferred to
   use was a kind of auto-coder for C, then it would have been acceptable
   as long as I didn't mention the term Fortran 90. Other C auto-coders
   were used in parts of the project, as was f77, but f90 was verbotten.
   Oh, and arbitrary f77 extensions were ok, as long as the word f90
   wasn't mentioned. The f90 compiler I was using could have been
   accurately described as a C autocoder, though it isn't the way I'd
   normally describe it. 

-- 
Richard Maine
email: my last name at domain
domain: summertriangle dot net

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Error while compiling using CHARACTER*(*) attribute in a NAMELIST
    ... used for backward compatability of f90 compiler with f77. ... I tried using "-f77" option with f90 compiler but that is not solving ... confused about one thing that this piece of code used to work with SUN ... Bob Corbett ...
    (comp.lang.fortran)
  • Re: Is it time to legitimise REAL*8 etc?
    ... Which might also explain Brian's observation, if "Fortran" to the people ... in his area means f77. ... The two big drivers to me were data structures and dynamic allocation. ... even though I didn't yet have an f90 compiler (nor did anyone ...
    (comp.lang.fortran)
  • Re: string concatenation
    ... magic number for source line length - at least in fixed source form. ... I recommend moving to a more modern compiler. ... I cannot although f90 was shipped along with f77 by absoft. ... Maybe the OP can convince the sysadmins to link the f77 compiler name to the actual f90 compiler? ...
    (comp.lang.fortran)
  • Re: Program Fails When Parameter Fixed Constants are Changed (F77) ??
    ... Subroutine PRSCAV8f ... Dimension xbys1, rbys1! ... You've been given the reason that won't work in F77 and several choices of what to do to fix it. ...
    (comp.lang.fortran)
  • Re: Bugs at my web site
    ... > see no other reason to stay with F77 for new code. ... Netlib is solidly f77 and not changing much. ...
    (comp.lang.fortran)