Skip to main content

Subroutines Help Software Programmers Avoid Having To 'Reinvent The Wheel'

When writing computer programs in any language, scientists must solve problems that probably have been faced already by many other programmers. It is silly to "reinvent the wheel," as the saying goes, when a variety of routines (subprograms that scientists can plug into programs they're writing) are already available for the most popular computer languages. I spend most of my time programming in Turbo Pascal 4.0 (produced by Borland International), so I am most familiar with the three classes of

Written byBarry Simon
| 4 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
4:00

I spend most of my time programming in Turbo Pascal 4.0 (produced by Borland International), so I am most familiar with the three classes of routines specific to this high-level programming language. The three classes are: general collections, which simplify the process of designing screens that will appear in a program; graphics-focused collections, for quickly and easily drawing geometric shapes; and sets of scientific routines, which make it easier for scientists to add geometric and mathematical formulas to scientific programs.

All of these packages offer better control of the screen and keyboard than Turbo Pascal provides and also offer string-handling functions, which manipulate sets of characters on the screen. TProf is the only one that will do simple sorting, and Nostradamus has mouse support and routines that allow sounds—beeps, buzzes, and so on—to be included in a program.

TProf has almost 400 functions, which are program commands each invoked by ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to digital editions of The Scientist, as well as TS Digest, feature stories, more than 35 years of archives, and much more!
Already a member?
Add The Scientist as a preferred source on Google

Add The Scientist as a preferred Google source to see more of our trusted coverage.

Meet the Author

Published In

Related articles background image
The Scientist Digest cover September 2026
September 2026

Multiplex Microscopy Becomes Easier with Encoded Antibodies

A new system that enables researchers to uniquely tag monoclonal antibodies for use in microscopy could help simplify complex imaging studies.

View this Issue
Rethinking ALS Biomarkers: From Discovery to Clinical Impact

Rethinking ALS Biomarkers: From Discovery to Clinical Impact

Alamar Biosciences logo
Best Practices for qPCR Assay Design and Optimization

Best Practices for qPCR Assay Design and Optimization

Bio-Rad
Beyond the Basics: Strategies for Single-Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Analysis

Beyond the Basics: Strategies for Single-Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics Analysis

bioxcell
Scientist reviewing cellular and molecular data on a computer in a laboratory.

Building Translation-Ready Biomarkers with Connected Workflows

Danaher Logo

Products

Closeup image of a multi channel pipette dispensing pink liquid into a 96-well plate.

The ASSIST PLUS pipetting robot for affordable workflow automation

Integra Logo
Single cells in suspension

Rapidly isolate primary cells and make uniform single-cell suspensions with Corning® Cell Strainers

Corning logo
Abstract image representing cell membranes linked together.

CellBrite® Steady Membrane Stain: Cell surface staining built for real-time imaging

Biotium
sino biological logo

Monod Bio Licenses AI-designed Protein Technologies to SignalChem Biotech for Custom Discovery Assays