------- Comment #2 from burnus at gcc dot gnu dot org 2010-01-06 14:16 ------- I think a description does not belong into "man gfortran" (invoke.texi), but maybe into the general text of gfortran.texi.
I think .mod files are not obvious; the standard does not say anything about them, though (almost?) all compilers use them. On the other hand, few people seem to have problems with .mod files. Intel has for instance the following in their manual: http://software.intel.com/sites/products/documentation/hpc/compilerpro/en-us/fortran/lin/compiler_f/index.htm - and mentions it short as output files: http://software.intel.com/sites/products/documentation/hpc/compilerpro/en-us/fortran/lin/compiler_f/bldaps_for/common/bldaps_produce_outfiles.htm IBM mentions them shortly at http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/lnxpcomp/v8v101/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.xlf101l.doc/xlfcr/compilgpgms.htm -- http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=42607