[PLUG] WINE Question

[Rich Shepard]

On 20 Sep 2002, Russell Senior wrote:

> In my case, the Fortran was written by Electrical Engineers, who
> weren't really programmers at all.  Let's just say I think this
> particular code benefitted by being rewritten.  ;-)

  Most folks who wrote in fortran also did not put comments in the code.
Look at a lot of source available from the USGS and similar sites and there
will be thousands of lines of code -- all in uppercase, of course -- and not
a single comment to explain the variables or what is supposed to be done.

  When I was writing in fortran -- about 1972-1976 -- code was punched on
Hollerith cards. I had to develop the idea of punching a card with a 'C' in
column 1 to separate code; occasionally I'd actually write a comment. It was
just not standard practice. The only code organizational I was taught was to
use a felt-tip marking pen to make diagonal lines across the top edges of
the card deck. This made it easier to get the back in order when you dropped
them; especially with an ecosystem model I developed that consisted of two
boxes of cards.

  I like C and I like full-screen editors.

Rich