Customer Reviews

FORTRAN 90 for Engineers and Scientists

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a fairly easy and simple introduction to Fortran 90. It is well directed towards the beginner and the beginner will most definitely profit from buying this book. The example codes are well chosen and the exercises provide ample practice in learning the basics of the language. The book covers much of the Fortran 90 syntax and the language reference in the appendix is handy. Presentation wise it is well constructed with a bi-colour approach which is good and makes the concepts easy to grasp, especially for a textbook, as compared to a one colour layout like a book with black print all over.

I recently bought this book from Amazon (Mar 2011). Nowhere among the information available at Amazon did it indicate that the book is now only printed on demand in a photocopiable format (advice from the publisher), ie it is a bound photocopy of the original. I was quite surprised and disappointed.

The other reviews on the Amazon website are some years old and positive feedback re the quality of the printing and colour must relate to the original publication.

The content seems to be as I would have expected, but I objected strongly to Amazon re paying $90 for a photocopy. They were quick to offer a $30 refund. I kept the book to avoid hassle sending it back and I needed the info, but in hindsight I would look at other options rather than paying even $60 for a photocopy.

FORTRAN isn't used as much now as other languages. Still, it serves as the basis for most programming languages; it can be used alongside others like C++, and visual basic.

For engineering and financial applications involving a lot of math, a reference like this is still useful. I got this guide at a bargain basement price. The book is fairly extensive and complex, but contains programs that reinforce the book's concepts. I didn't have much difficulty following the book for my jr. college's course, even with the amount of reading required (it was a lot, about 5-7 hours a week at least). Now it serves as a reference in my electronic engineering bookshelf.

Got here in reasonable amount of time in good (practically new) condition and the price was right (about half of what I would have paid for it at my college bookstore).