Choosing a FORTRAN Compiler

W. eWatson

unread,

Oct 19, 2011, 9:17:33 PM10/19/11

to

In another thread it is suggested that one either G95 or GFortran over
F77 even for legacy code or the Silverfrost personal version. There's
really no reason whatsoever to not use a current compiler with the more
recent versions of the Standard.

Where does one obtain these compilers? What is the cost? "personal"
sounds like, if there is a cost, but with some limited product?

My small project of maybe two 800 line programs is pretty much a one
time effort to validate some older code against know input and output
data, and do some minor upgrading of the code. Windows implementation.
It would be useful to use more recent tools and facilities than provided
by Watcom f77.

CaptainKirk1966

unread,

Oct 19, 2011, 10:19:29 PM10/19/11

to

Look here - http://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/GFortranBinaries

dpb

unread,

Oct 20, 2011, 12:13:42 AM10/20/11

to

My recommendation was, specifically, addressed to your expressed
intention to go to F77 rather than to use OW and assumed you intended to
do more than a one time compilation use.

For that, I see very little point in going any further than OW unless
you're really intending to do something like convert to free-form source
and/or actually convert to use F90+ features such as modules, etc.,
etc., etc., ... There are many reasons for doing such going forward,
but not if the intent is immutable in moving away from Fortran going
forward it would seem mostly wasted effort.

That said, the personal use Silverfrost compiler is at
www.silverfrost.com (imagine that :) ). You'll have to check on the
license conditions of use for the free version and see how they fit the
actual use; I'm not certain what conditions, if any, there are on its
use, only its existence.

--

user1

unread,

Oct 20, 2011, 7:35:32 AM10/20/11

to

Silverfrost - It is a nice product for learning and experimenting - but
applications built with it display a startup banner that is a bit annoying.

Conditions are listed on the web site.

"Silverfrost FTN95 can now be used free for personal use. It is strictly
for personal use or evaluation purposes. You can use it at home on your
own personal projects. You can use it to evaluate FTN95 with the
intention of purchasing it later. Any applications you create with it
will display a banner announcing that it is the personal edition. This
product is not directly supported but you can post questions in our forums."

user1

unread,

Oct 20, 2011, 7:51:25 AM10/20/11

to

On 10/20/2011 12:13 AM, dpb wrote:

>

> That said, the personal use Silverfrost compiler is at
> www.silverfrost.com (imagine that :) ). You'll have to check on the
> license conditions of use for the free version and see how they fit the
> actual use; I'm not certain what conditions, if any, there are on its
> use, only its existence.
>
> --

Silverfrost personal - It is a nice product for learning and

W. eWatson

unread,

Oct 20, 2011, 1:12:31 PM10/20/11

to

I more or less re-posted your reply, since it was buried deep in the
other thread, and I saw no response to a follow-up.

Once the package is validated, we will likely convert it to Java or C.
A friend is eager to do the Java conversion. Possibly to VBasic, since
I'd like to see the interface with the user improved.

W. eWatson

unread,

Oct 20, 2011, 1:13:24 PM10/20/11

to

Sounds encouraging for our purpose.

dpb

unread,

Oct 20, 2011, 2:08:15 PM10/20/11

to

On 10/20/2011 12:12 PM, W. eWatson wrote:
...

> Once the package is validated, we will likely convert it to Java or C. A
> friend is eager to do the Java conversion. Possibly to VBasic, since I'd
> like to see the interface with the user improved.

That would seem to be a questionable usage of the personal version
conditions from Silverfrost another respondent posted (which I'd never
read)--you're certainly not evaluating the compiler w/ the intent to
purchase and it sounds like a commercial usage rather than personal.

I'll leave it to you and your corporate legal staff to decide whether
it's conformant or not, however.

--

W. eWatson

unread,

Oct 20, 2011, 4:58:18 PM10/20/11

to

Thanks. They are considering it. BTW, who says I wouldn't be willing to
evaluate it?

dpb

unread,

Oct 20, 2011, 6:17:01 PM10/20/11

to

You did, several times, w/ the statement that the project is a one-time
only before converting to another language objective. That's not
sounding like a company looking for a compiler for purchase and it's
pretty clear this is some commercial venture, not personal. Which is
why I (mostly) recanted my former reco in favor of updating to say just
go ahead w/ OWatcom--it'll serve that purpose as well as a full-blown
F95+ compiler will and there is no even gray area on use.

--