Why You Should Consider Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 for Your Windows 7 Fortran Projects
Introduction
Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 is a software product that was released in 2001 by Compaq Computer Corporation, which acquired the original developer, Digital Equipment Corporation, in 1998. It is a Fortran compiler and integrated development environment (IDE) that allows you to create, debug, and run Fortran applications on Windows platforms.
compaq visual fortran 6.6 windows 7 free download
However, Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 may not work properly on Windows 7, which was released in 2009 by Microsoft Corporation. This is because Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 was designed for older versions of Windows, such as Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, and Windows 2000. It may not be compatible with the newer features and security updates of Windows 7.
Moreover, Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 is no longer supported by its original developer, HP, which acquired Compaq in 2002. HP discontinued the development and support of Compaq Visual Fortran in 2004, and transferred the rights to Intel Corporation, which developed its own version of Fortran compiler and IDE, called Intel Visual Fortran.
Therefore, if you want to use Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 on Windows 7, you may encounter some problems and limitations, such as installation errors, compatibility issues, performance degradation, security risks, and lack of technical support.
Features of Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6
Despite its age and obsolescence, Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 still has some features and benefits that may appeal to some Fortran programmers. Some of these features are:
It supports the Fortran 95 standard, as well as some extensions from the Fortran 2003 standard.
It integrates with Microsoft Visual Studio*, which provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for editing, debugging, and running Fortran applications.
It includes a comprehensive set of libraries and tools for numerical computation, scientific visualization, data analysis, parallel programming, and more.
It generates optimized code for IA-32 and Intel Itanium processors, as well as certain non-Intel but compatible processors.
It allows interoperability with other programming languages, such as C, C++, Java*, and Microsoft .NET*.
Installation guide for Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 on Windows 7
If you still want to try installing Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 on Windows 7, you may follow these steps:
Obtain the installation files from a reliable source. You can download them from this link, which provides a compressed file containing the setup files for Compaq Visual Fortran Professional Edition Version 6.6A.
Extract the compressed file to a folder on your computer.
Run the setupx86.exe file located in the x86 subdirectory of the folder. This will launch the installation wizard for Compaq Visual Fortran.
Follow the instructions on the wizard to complete the installation process. You may need to enter your license number or select a trial option.
If you encounter any errors or warnings during the installation process, you may try some of these workarounds:
Run the setupx 86.exe file as an administrator. To do this, right-click on the file and select "Run as administrator".
Run the setupx86.exe file in compatibility mode for Windows XP. To do this, right-click on the file and select "Properties". Then, go to the "Compatibility" tab and check the box that says "Run this program in compatibility mode for". Then, choose "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)" from the drop-down menu.
Disable any antivirus or firewall software that may interfere with the installation process. You can enable them again after the installation is complete.
After the installation is complete, you may need to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
To run Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 on Windows 7, you may need to apply some patches or updates that are available from this link. These patches or updates may fix some bugs or improve some features of Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6.
You may also need to adjust some settings or options in Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 to make it work better on Windows 7. For example, you may need to change the compiler options, the linker options, the debugger options, or the project properties.
Alternatives to Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6
As you can see, installing and running Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 on Windows 7 is not a straightforward or easy task. You may encounter many problems and limitations that may affect your productivity and performance. Therefore, you may want to consider some alternatives to Compaq Visual Fortran 6.6 that are more compatible with Windows 7 and newer versions of Windows. Some of these alternatives are:
Name
Description
Website
Intel Visual Fortran
This is the successor of Compaq Visual Fortran, developed by Intel Corporation. It supports the latest Fortran standards and features, and integrates with Microsoft Visual Studio*. It also provides optimized code for Intel and compatible processors, as well as libraries and tools for parallel programming, data analysis, scientific computing, and more.
https://software.intel.com/content/www/us/en/develop/tools/oneapi/components/fortran-compiler.html
GNU Fortran
This is a free and open source Fortran compiler that is part of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC). It supports most of the Fortran standards and extensions, and generates code for various platforms and architectures. It also provides libraries and tools for numerical computation, debugging, profiling, and more.
https://gcc.gnu.org/fortran/
Simply Fortran
This is a simple and user-friendly Fortran IDE that includes a Fortran compiler, a debugger, a code editor, a project manager, and more. It supports both GNU Fortran and Intel Visual Fortran compilers, and allows you to create and run Fortran applications on Windows, Linux, and macOS platforms.
https://simplyfortran.com/
Code::Blocks
This is a free and open source cross-platform IDE that supports multiple programming languages, including Fortran. It provides a code editor, a debugger, a compiler interface, a project manager, and more. It supports various Fortran compilers, such as GNU Fortran, Intel Visual Fortran, Open Watcom Fortran*, and more.
http://www.codeblocks.org/
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