OT: Language for the ages

[Paul Koning]

>>>>> "Chuck" == Chuck Guzis <cclist at sydex.com> writes:

 Chuck> Here's an interesting problem.  Suppose you wanted to write an
 Chuck> application for a manufacturing process that will, in all
 Chuck> probability, run for the next 30 years.  No direct control of
 Chuck> the process itself is entailed (i.e., you don't need the
 Chuck> program to operation valves or run motors), but you do need
 Chuck> this program to compute manufacturing parameters for each
 Chuck> customer.  I/O requirements are very modest, mostly simple
 Chuck> keyboard and display.

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

 Chuck> So what would it be?  My vote is for FORTRAN.

Not bad, though Fortran certainly IS still evolving.

C is the obvious choice.  In either case, you have to be careful that
you don't wreck the portability by using non-portable I/O.

    paul