f2c - FORTRAN to C

Nick Holford's observations about f2c seem reasonable. Compilers simply translate between languages. I fail to see any difference between translating from Fortran to Object Code to Executable code (Standard compilation and linking) and translating from Fortran to C to Object Code to Executable Code (f2c, then using a C compiler and linking). If the C compiler has better optimization or makes better use of the CPU or FPU, then the latter approach may be superior (as Nick reported). But neither is a priori wrong, and neither can be "validated" in any general sense, as clearly shown by Jaap Mandema's demonstration of compilation problems with the MicroSoft PowerStation Compiler under some settings.