FORTRAN — should this be the engineer's computer language?
Aftab A. Mufti, L.G. Jaeger · Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering · 1982
The authors consider the advantages and disadvantages of FORTRAN as the usual computer language for engineers, by comparison with such other possibilities as PASCAL, APL, PL/1, and ALGOL. The comparisons are based upon several distinguishing parameters, among which are stability of the language over a relatively long time-span, evolution towards a more structured form, existing investment in software for engineering applications, and the question of whether the language is of the compiler or interpreter type in normal usage.The evolution of FORTRAN to the present (FORTRAN 77) is traced and future developments are indicated. The case is made that FORTRAN and APL are not directly comparable with one another, since one is of the compiler family whilst the other is an interpreter type. It is argued that APL cannot be the language for large-scale engineering programs because of its interpreter nature.Comparison between FORTRAN and other compiler languages is also made directly. The conclusion reached is that FORTRAN has proved itself capable of being stable over long periods, of being well suited to engineering because of its intermediate level of mathematical sophistication, of being capable of steady improvement towards a more structured condition and of being the vehicle for a massive investment in software. It is therefore recommended that FORTRAN continue to be the principal computer language of engineers. Keywords: programming languages, application software, compiler, interpreter, character set, stability, evolution.