About Fortran-Dubna
2025-05-04 10:34The CDC 1604, developed by Control Data Corporation, was a significant computer in the early 1960s, widely used for scientific computing. Regarding whether the CDC 1604 was supplied with the source code for its Fortran compiler, the available evidence and historical context suggest the following:
1. Standard Practice for CDC Fortran Compilers:
- Control Data Corporation typically provided Fortran compilers for its systems, including the CDC 1604, as Fortran was a dominant programming language for scientific applications at the time. The CDC 1604 supported a Fortran compiler, often based on or derived from the original Fortran II or Fortran IV standards, tailored to the CDC 1604’s 48-bit architecture.
2. Source Code Availability:
- In the early 1960s, it was common for computer manufacturers like CDC to supply source code for system software, including compilers, to customers, especially for scientific institutions like the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna. This was because:
- Customers often needed to modify or optimize compilers for specific applications or hardware configurations.
- Academic and research institutions, such as JINR, frequently had skilled programmers capable of adapting software.
- The open nature of early computing encouraged sharing of source code to facilitate customization.
- While direct documentation confirming the inclusion of Fortran source code with the CDC 1604 at JINR is scarce, CDC’s general practice and the needs of research institutions strongly suggest that the Fortran compiler’s source code was likely provided or available upon request. This would have enabled JINR’s programmers, under leaders like Nikolay Govorun, to adapt the compiler for their heterogeneous computing environment.
3. JINR’s Context and Govorun’s Work:
- At JINR, Nikolay Govorun and his team were actively involved in developing and adapting software for various systems, including the CDC 1604A. Their work included creating Fortran translators (e.g., for the BESM-6) and adopting international standards like CERN’s Fortran software. This implies that JINR had access to or could modify the Fortran compiler for the CDC 1604, which would be feasible if source code was supplied or if they reverse-engineered or reimplemented parts of it.
- A 1986 JINR document mentions the use of CDC 1604A and CDC 6500 systems for data processing, indicating significant software customization. Access to the Fortran compiler’s source code would have been critical for integrating these systems into JINR’s computing complex.
4. Historical Precedent:
- Other institutions using CDC systems, such as universities or government labs in the U.S., often received source code for system software. For example, the University of Wisconsin’s CDC 1604 users contributed to software development, suggesting source code availability. Given JINR’s status as a prestigious international research center, it’s plausible that CDC provided similar access to facilitate scientific collaboration, even across Cold War divides.
5. Caveats:
- Exact contractual details of the CDC 1604’s delivery to JINR (around 1963–1965) are not publicly documented, and export restrictions during the Cold War may have influenced what was supplied. However, scientific exchanges and JINR’s international status likely mitigated such barriers, allowing for the inclusion of necessary software and documentation.
- If the source code was not provided, JINR’s skilled programmers could have developed their own Fortran compiler or adapted existing ones, as they did for other systems.