From chemistry-request@ccl.net Wed Jun 10 11:41:07 1992
Date: Wed, 10 Jun 1992 09:34 EDT
From: HUDGENS@ENH.NIST.GOV
Subject: Computer languages.
To: Chemistry@ccl.net
Status: R

SIMPLY PUT:  I have never seen a scientific article written in FORTRAN,
C, Pascal, or any language other than those spoken commonly by human
beings.  Whoever coined the term language for computer codes would probably
groan at the idea that these "languages" would be considered equivalent to
real language just because he chose the same name for the idea of 
portable computer instruction protocols.

Those chemistry/physics departments that offer the computer language option
are perpetrating a fraud--perhaps because they fear that their output of
graduates would decline otherwise. I feel that a PhD represents a certain
minimum level of education which includes mastery of ideas and skills that
lie outside of the major department.  Committees convened to address the
language problems would best put their efforts into arranging with
the foreign language department a course that will better prepare their 
PhD candidates so that they can pass the exam.  

Jeff Hudgens
Chemical Kinetics and Thermodynamics Division
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Internet: Hudgens@enh.nist.gov