the python name

[rbowman]

On 01/04/2019 10:45 AM, Peter J. Holzer wrote:
> FORTRAN is older than most of us. So it influenced what we think a
> computer language should sound like.

Sadly, not for all of us...  FORTRAN seeded later languages with terms 
that are obscure, like rewind().  A blazing powerhouse like the IBM 
System 360/30 had at most 64k of core, and by that I mean real magnetic 
core knit by little old ladies. It also had massive tape drives. By 
massive I mean 1/2" tape on 10" spools, not that they could hold that 
much data.

Anyway for something like a Fast Fourier you wrote a partial products to 
tape, rewound the tape, took another pass, rinse and repeat. It was a joy.

While FORTRAN definitely had some influence, particularly on BASIC, 
don't give it too much credit. It had little gems like the computed 
goto. It took until Fortran 90 to allow such novelties as lower case and 
free form input. Prior to that it still assumed you were using Hollerith 
cards. I don't think it ever moved beyond the DO loop.