C Programming: The Essentials for Engineers and Scientists

The text addresses the shift in undergraduate engineering and science education away from traditional programming courses, particularly Fortran 77, towards more modern languages like C and C++. This change reflects both the decline of Pascal in scientific computing and the adoption of Fortran 90, which arrived too late to maintain its relevance. Additionally, it highlights a trend in engineering curricula that emphasizes practical applications earlier in the educational journey, moving away from a strict focus on theoretical foundations.