A Note on Research Using Computers

• Published in: Journal of navigation Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 421 - 422
• Main Author: Robinson, C. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.07.1971
• Subjects: Forum
• ISSN: 0373-4633; 1469-7785
• DOI: 10.1017/S0373463300048414

Lately there have been a number of articles and discussions in the Journal involving the use of computer programs to solve navigational problems. As one often involved in complex programming systems, I have some strong views on the subject. We are not an institution of programmers, and the few of us who have some programming knowledge, a very useful asset, are usually limited to one or possibly two languages. I would doubt if many people who could follow B. J. Moss's ALGOL could also follow R. J. Turner's FORTRAN. Thus it seems strange that authors should go to the trouble of publishing the routines by which they do their calculations. After all, most of us are only interested in the method of attack and the answers rather than computer techniques.