Basic HTML version of Foils prepared June 27 1999

Foil 37 What is the Alternative?

From Integration of Web and Distributed Object Technologies in a New Generation of Grande Programming Environments PDPTA Las Vegas -- June 28 1999. by Geoffrey C. Fox


So most existing Grande codes are written in Fortran or C with a clearly unattractive and comparatively unproductive programming environment
These current languages and tools are sufficient but does not seem likely that can build much better environments around them
  • Fortran77 has excellent compilers, good user base but will not be taught broadly and clearly limited in capabilities; in particular not object oriented
  • Fortran90 and HPF do not look as though they will "make it"
  • Subsume discussion of C under that of C++
Five years ago, it looked as though C++ could become language of choice (perhaps with Fortran as inner core) but this appears stalled
  • The language is complex and no agreement on Grande standards?
  • Java halted C++ (in HPCC) "bandwagon" even though capabilities of C++ has advanced quite significantly



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