Yes, FORTRAN lives! New code is still being written in it, even now. For one thing, there are plenty of tasks that don't require pointers (and the attendant bugginess that comes with the things). For another, thoroughly debugged, highly optimized compilers and libraries can be pretty useful things.
By the way, it isn't just engineers who use it. For example, the airline where I work uses it in programs that generate flight plans, monitor flight progress, track aircraft maintenance, message switching and numerous other things. It isn't pretty, but it's fast and reliable. Sure, at some point it will be replaced, but so far we can't find an application written in a 'modern' language that can do what our 30+ year old stuff does.
The point? The tool isn't as important as the ingenuity shown in its use.
For what it's worth, Unisys does build real mainframes - the A-series (based on technology from Burroughs) and the 2200-series ( I think they call them Clearpath these days) that came from Sperry. If you've flown United, your airplane was managed by software on a 2200, for example.
If Microsoft writes an OS X version of Office for Macintosh, wouldn't they have a pretty good start on a Linux version?. The API they use (Cocoa or Carbon) might not be very close though...
Weren't you a newbie/idiot once? Or are you one of those fortunate types who built their boxen from the transistors up? Of course, you never needed anyone to answer any of your silly questions, so why am I asking these silly questions?/sarcasm
Given the small sample size used by the organiztions that conduct these polls, personally I would be rather suprised if I did get asked to participate in one. I wouldn't be at all suprised if a given polling organiztion is biased, though. Some years ago I was contacted by an outfit doing an 'independent' poll on the abortion issue. After about the 3rd question, it was pretty clear which side the pollsters were on, so I told them to round-file the rest of their questions. I found the dishonesty disturbing, I guess.
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Yes, FORTRAN lives! New code is still being written in it, even now. For one thing, there are plenty of tasks that don't require pointers (and the attendant bugginess that comes with the things). For another, thoroughly debugged, highly optimized compilers and libraries can be pretty useful things.
By the way, it isn't just engineers who use it. For example, the airline where I work uses it in programs that generate flight plans, monitor flight progress, track aircraft maintenance, message switching and numerous other things. It isn't pretty, but it's fast and reliable. Sure, at some point it will be replaced, but so far we can't find an application written in a 'modern' language that can do what our 30+ year old stuff does.
The point? The tool isn't as important as the ingenuity shown in its use.
For what it's worth, Unisys does build real mainframes - the A-series (based on technology from Burroughs) and the 2200-series ( I think they call them Clearpath these days) that came from Sperry. If you've flown United, your airplane was managed by software on a 2200, for example.
If Microsoft writes an OS X version of Office for Macintosh, wouldn't they have a pretty good start on a Linux version?. The API they use (Cocoa or Carbon) might not be very close though...
How about HateNet for the misguided folks who think that people who are not just like us (tm) are to be persecuted/hated/etc.?
Weren't you a newbie/idiot once? Or are you one of those fortunate types who built their boxen from the transistors up? Of course, you never needed anyone to answer any of your silly questions, so why am I asking these silly questions? /sarcasm
Given the small sample size used by the organiztions that conduct these polls, personally I would be rather suprised if I did get asked to participate in one. I wouldn't be at all suprised if a given polling organiztion is biased, though. Some years ago I was contacted by an outfit doing an 'independent' poll on the abortion issue. After about the 3rd question, it was pretty clear which side the pollsters were on, so I told them to round-file the rest of their questions. I found the dishonesty disturbing, I guess.