Verdix Corp ADA-language development systems

[karl@grebyn.com (Karl A. Nyberg)]

(I would have thought the response to this question would have been more
appropriate for mail, but I'll go with the flow...)

In article <1395@spp2.UUCP> baur@spp2.UUCP (Steven L. Baur) writes:
>in article <2410@elrond.CalComp.COM>, bobb@elrond.CalComp.COM (Robert J. Boulanger) says:
>> I'm looking for some information about ADA development systems from
>> Verdix Corporation.
>> ... I'm especially interested in their documentation.  How good
>> is it, and recommendations do you make for improving it?
...
>All run time libraries are delivered in source code, and that is basically all
>the documentation you get.

I'm running VADS 5.5c on VAX/ULTRIX 2.3, self-target.  In the documentation
that I received, Chapter 18, titled "Implementation Reference", includes
such sections as Parameter Passing, Conversion and Deallocation, Process
Stack Size, Interface Programming, File Formats, some fifteen pages on Run
Time System, another fifteen on Memory Allocation Support in the VADS
Runtime, Bit Manipulation Utilities, Semaphore Services, Task Control
Services, and Exception Reporting.  Maybe you didn't RTFM? :-)

There's even a section titled "Configuring the VADS Run Time System" (17.4),
which is very small for the self-target, but for the VAX/VMS -> 80386 and
VAX/UNIX -> 68000 I recall that these sections run to literally dozens of
pages (I don't have them with me at the moment, so I can't provide EXACT
page counts).

>> How is Verdix's customer support and training?
>Customer support is weak at best.  They answer the phone rarely, and are
>not too terribly helpful.  There is hope though.  The last time I dealt with
>customer support, they spent a good deal of time looking at my problem, and
>responded formally with written up bug reports.  What will happen next, I
>don't know.

My experience has been quite different.  Every time I call I get through and
generally get answers to my problems immediately.  They have an extensive
formal electronic support service for submitting and resolving bugs, a
quarterly users newsletter, a PC running a bulletin board that contains the
latest set of bugs and workarounds.  There's even a users mailing list where
some of us share our problems and solutions independent of their product
support office.  Compare that with the results I've gotten when trying to
submit SPRs to DEC for their Ada under VMS - last time I tried that I was
told the fix wouldn't make it in for two more releases - scheduled a year
and a half out, and that there were no workarounds or any other solutions.

>Customer training?  If there exists such a beast I have never heard of it.

Through an arrangement with Honeywell.  Now you've heard about it. :-) :-)

... many listed "problems" deleted.

I hope you've submitted formal bug reports on these.  Complaining may be
gratifying for the ego, but it's real hard for vendors to fix "Well, the
compiler blew up, and I need a fix" without ACTUAL code.  Generics are
broken one way or another in just about every compiler I've ever used.

Sure, maybe I get SPECIAL service, being as how I'm a Field Test & Beta Test
Site, have a direct 19200 baud uucp connection to support reporting of bugs,
etc., and used to work there.  But "I pays my money and demands my service",
and I'm pleased with the results.

And yes, I STILL own stock in Verdix Corporation.

-- Karl --

Karl A. Nyberg          karl@grebyn.com, nyberg@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu
Grebyn Corporation                 karl%grebyn.com@haven.umd.edu
P. O. Box 1144                        {decuac,haven}!grebyn!karl
Vienna, VA 22180-1144                               703-281-2194