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Why Scientists Are Still Using FORTRAN in 2014

Posted by timothy on from the why-change dept.

New submitter InfoJunkie777 (1435969) writes "When you go to any place where 'cutting edge' scientific research is going on, strangely the computer language of choice is FORTRAN, the first computer language commonly used, invented in the 1950s. Meaning FORmula TRANslation, no language since has been able to match its speed. But three new contenders are explored here. Your thoughts?"

2 of 634 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Q: Why Are Scientists Still Using FORTRAN in 20 by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    Why?

    Not to put too fine a point on the matter, Fortran is still used to bust the n00bs.

    It's academia, for God's sake! This is where Doctorae Philosophiae held forth discourse in Latin, as recently as 150 years ago, fully 1600 years after that language fell into conversational extinction.

    --
    "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
    Never been known to fail..."
  2. Re:Workers still use shovels in 2014!!!!! by Kaz+Kylheku · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Fortran is a plastic shovel with a rolled up newspaper for a handle.