Languages Fortran Fortran Automated Coding System For the IBM 704 the very first Fortran manual, by John Backus, et al., Oct. 1956 Al Kossow has in his manual collection also an IBM 704 manual, if you want to have a look at the machine that this original Fortran language was made for. Also the next IBM manuals are from the collection at his web site, where you can find a number of Fortran manuals,