On this day in 1957, the first FORTRAN program was run.
Back in 1953, IBM computer scientist John W. Backus proposed to his superiors that a more practical language be developed for programming their IBM 704 mainframe computer. He along with a team of programmers later invented FORTRAN, a “high-level” programming language that greatly simplified program writing. And by April 19, 1957 the first FORTRAN program was run (apart from internal IBM testing) at Westinghouse, producing a missing comma diagnostic, followed by a successful attempt.
fwp is fortran word perfect for macroportal
This is a great article. I remember when the Eniac and Univac came out in the early 50s (I’ll be 71 on Halloween). Then heard about I.B.M. 701 Mainframes about 54 or 55 I think. Didn’t know FORTRAN was developed that early.
Keep up the great new Tech in Today articles.
Thanks
Denny