OT: Language for the ages

[Jules Richardson]

Chuck Guzis wrote:
> What would you write it in?  Clearly, you'd want to be independent of a
> particular software vendor, so the likes of Visual BASIC isn't an option.
> You'd also want to write in a language that isn't nearing obsolesence, nor
> one that's still evolving.  "Niche" languages would be out of the question,
> as longevity could be a problem.
> 
> So what would it be?   My vote is for FORTRAN.

Or Java; at least it's standard, strictly defined, open (in that 
bytecode format etc. is documented), cross-platform, and even if it 
*were* to become obsolete in x years I can't see there not being 
emulators around on current hardware of the day which can emulate a DOS 
/ Windows / whatever box and therefore run the compiler or runtime.

There'll likely be more people around in the future who can maintain it 
versus Fortran too...

Sorry for the non-classic answer! (although I guess Java's ten years old 
now, so technially on topic :)

cheers

Jules