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Gentleman and Marovich in their short communication [Comm. ACM 17, 5 (May 1974) 276-277] make the claim that for FORTRAN ". . . the language definitions require that subprograms can be separately compiled. . . ," citing the ANSI FORTRAN standard X3.9-1966 as their authority.ANSI FORTRAN nowhere requires that a processor be be constructed so that subprograms can be separately compiled. What ANSI does specify is described on page 7, section 1.1 of the standard:This standard establishes the form for and the interpretation of programs expressed in the FORTRAN language for the purpose of promoting a high degree of interchangeability of such programs for use on a variety of automatic data processing systems.

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