[NJARC] FORTRAN

[Robert Carroll]

Back around 1964, Ga Tech inherited a UNIVAC which had been submerged in a
hurricane down in New Orleans.  EE students had the fun task of cleaning out
the salt, repairing and restoring the machine. Those who signed up for the
ALGOL class were permitted to submit one deck of cards per day.  One mistake
and it was wait till tomorrow to resubmit.  That was the beginning of the
end for the analog computer classes and labs.  The Days of Wine and Roses.

Bob W2WG

-----Original Message-----
From: njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:njarc-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of john ruccolo
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 9:22 PM
To: New Jersey Antique Radio Club
Subject: Re: [NJARC] FORTRAN

Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
_______________________________________________
Hi Al/Rob/Folks,

Fortran was of course derisively known as FORTRASH. I
used it in college too. It's fine for math stuff, not
much good for much else.

Not to get too technical, but the article doesn't make
clear that the concept and design and build of a
*compiler* was the breakthrough, along with the idea
of high-level computer language. Things we take for
granted today, like stored-memory programs and
high-level computer languages, were cutting-edge ideas
at one time.

I still have a box of latter-day punched cards out in
the garage, marked SPRING '79. Those were the days....

JR


--- Al Klase <al at ar88.net> wrote:

> Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> _______________________________________________
> Rob,
> 
> I thought you were younger than that.  It's amazing
> any of us learned 
> anything that way.
> 
> Al
> 
> Robert Flory wrote:
> > Visit our web site - See http://www.njarc.org
> > _______________________________________________
> > Ahh, FORTRAN.  Brings back memories....
> >
> > In my freshman year at RPI, I participated in a
> ritual where I went to the
> > computer center(formerly the campus chapel) and
> made an offering of punched
> > cards.  If "god" was pleased, I received a large
> printout that had the
> > desired output.  If not, it said, "SYNTAX ERROR"
> and I would have to make
> > another offering.
> >
> >   
> 
> -- 
> Al Klase - N3FRQ
> Flemington, NJ
> http://www.skywaves.ar88.net/
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> NJARC mailing list
> NJARC at mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/njarc
> 



 
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