Basic Python Questions - Oct. 31, 2013

[E.D.G.]

"E.D.G." <edgrsprj at ix.netcom.com> wrote in message 
news:yo-dnWFmi7_7d-jPnZ2dnUVZ_hqdnZ2d at earthlink.com...

Posted by E.D.G. on November 12, 2013

       The following is part of a note that I just posted to the Perl 
Newsgroup.  But it is actually intended for all computer programmers who are 
circulating free download software.

       One of the people that I work with and I are using an important 
computer program that is quite unique.  It was created a long time ago by a 
highly regarded scientist who passed away a while back.  And he made three 
copies of the program available for people as free downloads.  The first is 
an exe version of the program that will run on any Windows machine.  The 
second is the code for the program written using what is now an ancient 
version of Fortran.   And the third is for the same program using an ancient 
version of Basic.

       The professional programmer and I attempted to produce versions of 
the program using a modern language.  I managed the project and the 
programmer did the actual work.  And unfortunately, in spite of his many 
years of experience he could not understand the Fortran and Basic versions 
to the point where he could translate them.  I recommended that he post some 
notes to the Fortran Newsgroup and ask if anyone visiting that Newsgroup had 
an instruction manual for that ancient version of Fortran that would explain 
what the program code meant.  But for some reason he chose not to do that. 
And it would have taken me a considerable amount of time to attempt the 
translation myself.

       So, the end result is that when the program needs to generate data, 
the exe version is used "as is."  Or it is called from a Perl program and 
given the input information it needs so that it can generate data.

       The point is, when people want to make some computer program 
available for use by others around the world they might want to circulate a 
version of their program that has such a simple format that anyone can 
understand it.  And for actual use they can generate parallel versions that 
have more efficient code that people who are working with that language can 
understand.