The Howdy Glossary

COMTRAN (Common Extended Form) is a programming language developed in 1958 as an extension of Fortran II to simplify the transition from lower-level machine language programming to higher-level languages in early computing systems like the IBM 700/7000 series. It introduced features such as character manipulation, enhanced input/output operations, and improved string handling capabilities. Bob Bemer and his team at the Rand Corporation were instrumental in its creation.

COMTRAN was designed to address limitations of lower-level programming languages by providing a smoother transition for users of early computing systems. Its unique features, including better character manipulation and more efficient input/output operations, were intended to make programming easier and more user-friendly compared to direct machine language coding. Despite these innovative features, COMTRAN struggled to gain significant traction in the industry due to competition from emerging languages like COBOL and FORTRAN IV that were rapidly gaining popularity for their specialized applications.

COBOL's readability and business data processing focus made it appealing for business computing sectors, while FORTRAN IV's strength in mathematical and scientific computations attracted engineers and scientists. These established languages overshadowed COMTRAN's advantages by aligning more closely with specific industry needs. As a result, despite its potential benefits for users transitioning from machine language programming on systems like the IBM 700/7000 series, COMTRAN did not achieve substantial success or widespread adoption compared to its competitors.