In those days, FORTRAN IV was handy as a "portable" language just because it
was the one language (other than COBOL) available *everywhere*. It could be
used as a sort of "high level assembler" too.
"FORTRAN --"the infantile disorder"--, by now nearly 20 years old, is
hopelessly inadequate for whatever computer application you have in mind
today: it is now too clumsy, too risky, and too expensive to use."
- "How do we tell truths that might hurt?"
- Edsger W.Dijkstra, 18 June 1975
"The use of COBOL cripples the mind; its teaching should, therefore, be
regarded as a criminal offence."
- "How do we tell truths that might hurt?"
- Edsger W.Dijkstra, 18 June 1975
Dijkstra had things to say about many languages.
In 1975, . . .
Fortran77 or Fortran90 did fix a few things, but not necessarily the right
ones.
Who was who said that FORTRAN was "more portable than syphilis"?
