[Info-vax] Is C++ good in scientific computation? Why did Fortran lose its popularity?

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 1/28/21 6:02 AM, Joukj wrote:
> Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>>
>> Fortran is still widely used in that field.
>>
>> A lot is also done in R and Python, but that because there
>> is a need for something higher level.
>>
>> Some is done in C and C++, but I don't think it is more than
>> what can be considered natural given that it is two mainstream
>> languages.
>>
>> There is also some Java, because even though Java has some
>> problems in this field, then most of the big data foundational
>> stuff is Java.
>>
> That's also what I see here at the university in Delft. Big packages we 
> use for quantum-mechanical calculation (i.e. Vasp & Abinit) are written 
> in Fortran.
> My own programs are normally programmed in a mixture of Fortran/C/C++ 
> (Fortran for the core calculations, C++ for the user-interface and C to 
> interact with the system by system-utilities)
> 
> However, since companies use Python very often, students have to learn 
> it, and that is what they (only) know and tend to use.
> 

As an interesting aside to this discussion, Numerical Algorithms Group
still puts out a version of their Library for Fortran and, in fact, on
the website under "Language and Environment Availability" Fortran still
comes first.

I have used it extensively and still have a copy of the tape from the
very early 80's floating around here somewhere.

bill