Re: Interfaces.Ada

[mbk@inls1.ucsd.edu (Matt Kennel)]

Michael Feldman (mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu) wrote:
: >will work)?  I am using Sun Sparc.  Thank you.

: I think Robert Dewar has commented on the best way (currently) to
: interface Fortran programs to GNAT. Interfaces.Fortran, and especially
: the data structures interface - which will provide column-mapped
: multi-dimensional arrays, etc. simply has not been implemented yet.

I've always wondered about one thing:

  When people make new langauges why do they implement the C storage
  layout for multi-dimensional arrays instead of that of Fortran?  E.g.
  as it seems, Ada9x, Modula-3.

  Given that most matrix algorithms are in Fortran why be backwards?  (and
  ones in C usually use some sort of non-compatible dope-vector thing anyway
  because C doesn't have variable matrix sizes.)

  Why not make the default just like Fortran?  I don't think one way is
  particularly more "natural" than the other so now that Fortran chose one
  convention why not stay with it?

  The only thing I can figure out is that it is a childish attitude
  like "bleah fortran sucks so we'll be different".  I don't believe this
  is true so what is the real reason?  Is it that compelling?

: Mike Feldman

--
-Matt Kennel  		mbk@inls1.ucsd.edu
-Institute for Nonlinear Science, University of California, San Diego
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