Classic programming

[Chuck Guzis]

On 08/08/2015 12:13 PM, Jay Jaeger wrote:
> I have always felt that the language name is SNOBOL, with multiple
> versions, kind of like FORTRAN II (which is what the 1410 had),
> FORTRAN IV, FORTRAN V, etc., but Griswold seems to think otherwise.
> ;)

I think the test would be "Can language x+1 run, without substantial 
modification, programs written in language x?"  If the answer is "no", 
then languages x and x+1 are separate languages, and not compatible 
dialects of the same language.

So FORTRAN IV would be a compatible dialect of FORTRAN II (mostly at any 
rate, FII vendors had a nasty habit of adding their own features 
willy-nilly, as did FIV).  I think Codasyl was first to clamp down on 
"the default is the standard as we say it is", then FORTRAN followed.

However, I'd submit that F95 is a separate language, as it can't run 
FIV, F66 or F77 programs without modification as it doesn't understand 
ASSIGN-ed GOTOs as well as H-type (Hollerith) FORMAT specs.

--Chuck