[MPI3 Fortran] J3 / etc.

[malcolm at nag-j.co.jp]

> On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 5:49 AM, Jeff Squyres <jsquyres at cisco.com> wrote:
> 
> > 1. What exactly is in the 2008 spec and what exactly is in the TR?

Craig Rasmussen wrote:
> Fortran 2008 is essentially finished and will be released for final
> publication in a few months.

Actually, it has passed its Final Draft International Standard ballot.  There will be no changes before publication.

> > 2. How binding is the TR?
> 
> This is a type 2 TR which means that, if passed, it will officially
> become part of the Fortran 2013 standard.

That is not so straightforward.

The intention is that it will become part of a future Fortran revision.  However this is merely a solemn promise by the Fortran committee, it is not any kind of official ISO position.

If problems are found with the Technical Report, it will almost certainly be modified before inclusion in the standard.  This happened with 2 of the 3 previous Technical Reports; they had technical deficiencies as originally published which were corrected before inclusion in Fortran 2003.

Note that this will only happen if corrections are needed, no change will be made unless there is an actual error.

> > 3. What is the process for the TR to become part of the 2008 (or later) spec?
> 
> As mentioned above it is a formality.

It is not a formality.  It will happen only due to deliberate action by the Fortran committee (which has of course promised to take said action!).

> > One case that has been cited as a cause for concern is co-array fortran -- apparently that started life as a TR

That is not true.  There has never been any ISO Technical Report on Coarray Fortran.  There might have been some internal Cray reports.

Cheers,
-- 
.......................Malcolm Cohen, ISO Fortran project editor.