"Fortran is the most widely used programming language in the world for
numerical applications. It has achieved this position partly by being on the
scene earlier than any of the other major languages and partly because it
seems gradually to have evolved the features which its users, especially
scientists and engineers, found most useful. In order to retain compatibility
with old programs, Fortran has advanced mainly by adding new features rather
than by removing old ones. The net result is, of course, that some parts of
the language are, by present standards, rather archaic: some of these can be
avoided easily, others can still be a nuisance." (Clive Page)
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