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From: sherouse@unc.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: RE: UNIX for physicists
Message-ID: <7345@unc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 14-Jun-84 08:29:13 EDT
Article-I.D.: unc.7345
Posted: Thu Jun 14 08:29:13 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Jun-84 02:03:54 EDT
References: <2876@teklabs.UUCP>
Organization: CS Dept., U. of N. Carolina at Chapel Hill
Lines: 47

I really {think|hope} that Modula-2 is what {we|you|I}
{am|are} looking for.

I have grown tremendously intolerant of FORTRAN in the last
few years for it's come-hither-and-write-spaghetti attitude.
FORTRAN-77 is just a band-aid.

Pascal is wonderful for things that can be done in one thought
but a nightmare for large system development - even in it's
extended state (a tip of the hat to Oregon Software).  Nevertheless
it *does* know about trig functions and the like and doesn't
insist on a lot of casting to do it.

C is fun.  It is also an invitation to disaster for scientists
who program casually.  It is my experience that they don't
*want* to know about pointers and the like.  And the math library
is nothing if not a nuisance.

Don't talk to me about ADA.

Modula is the great hope for the future.  It has all of Pascal's
wonderful traits (Spend six months in a scientific software house
modifying code from 1966 and you too will scream for STRUCTURE.)
without it's brain damage vis-a-vis the more exotic data manipulations
we all like to leave for posterity.  It cajoles but does not cripple.
I hope.  You see, I haven't actually used it yet.  We are however
on DECWRL's list.  No pressure, guys.

All this applies to new development of course.  If you live in
the shadow of decades of FORTRAN, heaven help you and pass the
Parmesan.

So, there's my two cents.  What've we got now, $1.50?


<< The views expressed are my own and are thus indistinguishable from >>
<<                          absolute truth.                           >>

George W. Sherouse
Associate Physicist
Division of Radiation Therapy
North Carolina Memorial Hospital
Chapel Hill, NC   27514

(919) 966-1101