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FARGO (programming language)

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FARGO (Fourteen-o-one Automatic Report Generation Operation) was the predecessor to the popular RPG programming language (RPG).

The idea behind FARGO was to facilitate ease of transition for IBM 407 Accounting Machine technicians to the new IBM 1400 series of computers. The 1400 series had two assemblers; Symbolic Programming System (SPS) and Autocoder (a more advanced assembler than SPS that required more memory). These represented a significant paradigm shift and learning curve for the tab machine technicians who were accustomed to plugging wires into control panels or plug-boards to implement input, output, control and counter operations (add, subtract, multiply, divide).

Tab machines programs were executed by impulses emitted in a machine cycle; hence, FARGO emulated the notion of a cycle. FARGO coordinated the concept of coding sheets that closely approximated the principles of wiring panels of tabulating machines. Early FARGO training material showed the wiring panel vs. coding sheet relationships.

Backward Compatibility

IBM historically placed emphasis on backward compatability, and FARGO and 1400 Autocoder continued to be used in some IBM System/360 shops by running in "Emulation" mode. COBOL, FORTRAN and RPG languages did not require emulation because System/360 versions were provided.

  • IBM (1964). Fargo for IBM 1401 (PDF). C24-1464-3.
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