Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watmum.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!qantel!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxr!ulysses!burl!clyde!watmath!watnot!watmum!cdshaw From: cdshaw@watmum.UUCP (Chris Shaw) Newsgroups: net.jokes Subject: Re: Request for computer science bloopers Message-ID: <250@watmum.UUCP> Date: Mon, 12-Aug-85 09:55:50 EDT Article-I.D.: watmum.250 Posted: Mon Aug 12 09:55:50 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 17-Aug-85 06:34:00 EDT References: <115@uw-june> <53100120@trsvax> Reply-To: cdshaw@watmum.UUCP (Chris Shaw) Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 33 In article <53100120@trsvax> wkb@trsvax writes: > > After FORTRAN (short for FORmula TRANslation) became popular, the University >of Waterloo decided to write their own version, calling it "WATFOR" presumably >meaning "WATerloo FORmula translation". When they came out with a revision of >the compiler, it was naturally called WATFIV. > Wellll.... and now, the real story ! WATFOR was built for the IBM 1620 series (at firt, then ported to others). The motivation was a compiler that didn't just sit there if your program was wrong. WATFOR was the first FORTRAN compiler to have error messages! WATFIV, on the other hand, is a bit of weak computer wimsy that REALLY means WATerloo Fortran IV i.e., a FORTRAN 4 compiler. This probably started Waterloo's tradition of naming EVERYTHING with WAT as the first three letters. ..and if you doubt my word, I worked for the group that still sells WATFOR and WATFIV, so there ! Chris Shaw watmath!watmum!cdshaw or cdshaw@watmath University of Waterloo We are sorry, but the brain cells you have dialled are not in service.... please try again when the author is less wide asleep. "A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is Fast & Bulbous. Got me ?"