RE: [Plplot-devel] Possible bug in matrix initialization

[Alan W. I. <ir...@be...>]

On Tue, 19 Feb 2002, Maurice LeBrun wrote:

> Single quotes.. who uses those?  Oh yeah, Fortran...
>
> ;)

;-)

However, in the interests of historical accuracy I gotta say the point was
moot for my first Fortran compiler in 1968.  The only string that sucker had
was the one wrapped around the "PDQ compiler" card deck.  Before each task
that deck was read into the machine, then your fortran source on cards was
read into the machine.  That produced an object code deck which was then
read into the machine and executed. I still remember the great joy we all
had when we upgraded to an IBM 1130 that actually had a disk-resident
fortran compiler which would save your object code to disk and execute it
without fiddling with Fortran compiler object decks or your own object deck.

It was a year later in graduate school that we got access to a fortran
compiler that could deal (to a small extent) with character strings.  I
wonder whether the next 30 years in computing will have so many
revolutionary changes as the last 30 years?  I sure hope so!

Alan