From: ldo@nz.invalid   
      
   On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 15:09:58 -0600, Lynn McGuire wrote:   
      
   > I started writing software in Fortran in 1975, thought it the best   
   > thing since sliced bread. Then I learned Pascal in 1983 (Turbo   
   > Pascal). Then I learned C in 1986 (Turbo C).   
      
   1975 was probably about the time I first encountered actual lines of   
   Fortran code (though not a computer to run them on). This was in the   
   Encyclopedia Britannica article on computers.   
      
   Then I got hold of a book called “The Compleat Cybernaut”, by Anna   
   Burke Harris. It was a pretty comprehensive introduction to Fortran. I   
   remember the bio mentioned that the author was living in a city where   
   she was the only practising blacksmith. I devoured that in a weekend.   
      
   Later, I found another book, called “Programming in POP-2”. The   
   concepts of non-numerical programming, lists, structures etc -- way   
   beyond anything Fortran had -- just blew my mind. Also it was   
   stack-based.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)