In article <1990May30.212533.8105 at msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>
scholten at cpsvax.cps.msu.edu (David Scholten cps) writes:
>What are the benefits of using C versus Fortran?
I used Fortran a long time ago (Fortran IV, before Fortran 77),
so some of these comments may not apply in respect to Fortran 77.
Here is the start of a list of advantages of C over Fortran and
Fortran over C:
C Advantage list:
1. Data Structures (Fortran IV didn't have them).
2. Cleaner code structures. Rarely do you
need labels (as you do in Fortran DO loops, computed
goto's, etc.). You do need lables in C case statements.
3. Data Pointers. Even before I used C, there were times
I needed to point to areas in memory (with a defined
structure). This was faked at various times by using
an assembly language function or using a vendor
supplied pointer function. Never as clean as C
pointers.
4. Ability to have variable argument lists.
5. Ability to do recursive function calls.
6. Macros.
7. Function pointers. One time on a project we needed
to implement a function table for a Finite State
Machine (for a protocol processor written in
Fortran IV -- arghhh!). It was done with integer
values in the table fed into a computed goto (yuk!!).
In C, you put the function pointers right into the
table and call them.
8. Free form entry of code for C vs. the reserved columns
for Fortran (at least Fortran IV). This allows nicer
indentation style to make the code easier for the
human to read.
C Disadvantage list:
1. Pointers. This will take pure Fortran hackers a little
time to get used to. Pointers are pervasive in C.
2. Perhaps a little less mature library for math stuff.
--
Chuck Noren
NET: ncar!dinl!noren
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