Remote Execution

On a limited demonstration basis, Netlib also provides trial use of software in the collection. The principal example at present is f2c, a Fortran-to-C compiler developed by Stu Feldman, David Gay, Mark Maimone, and Norm Schryer. This program is more complicated to install on one's own machine than, say, just loading in a typical subroutine from linpack. To help people judge whether they want to bother, Netlib allows them to send sample Fortran input by email and get back the converted C by return mail. The result are more or less guaranteed correct but hard to read. If that is acceptable, the user is then encouraged to download the f2c compiler and runtime libraries and use the software directly.