Re: Ada mandates for European Community, NATO, NASA

[chuck@brain.UUCP (Chuck Shotton)]

In article <1991Jun2.213842.1@east.pima.edu>, rharwood@east.pima.edu writes:
> A recent advertisement for an Ada compiler stated:
> 
>     "Ada's the law for all Department of Defense, NASA, and NATO
>     related programming.  Overseas, Ada's the law for all European
>     Community programming."
> 
> I am aware of Public Law requiring DOD work in Ada.  Is anyone aware of
> approved legislation/regulation REQUIRING Ada in the other named environments?
> 

Ada is certainly mandated for new system development in the Air Force (but
only for certain classes of software.) The Army and Navy have slightly
less restrictive guideline on the use of Ada vs. other programming languages.

NASA has ONLY mandated Ada for Space Station-related development, and nearly
every contractor has been successful in obtaining waivers to use non-Ada 
languages. (Certainly, they aren't about to touch the millions of lines of
HAL/S code on the shuttle.)

NATO has adopted policies similar to the USAF. However, the only "laws" to 
this effect are the laws that cover compliance with gov't. contracts. Congress
certainly hasn't passed legislation making it illegal to code in Fortran.

That ad sounds a little overzealous to me.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chuck Shotton                 Internet:   cshotton@girch1.med.uth.tmc.edu
"Your silly quote here."      UUCP:       ...!buster!brain!chuck