Re: N best things about Ada?

[tonyg <tonythegair@googlemail.com>]

On Jul 9, 4:08 am, a...@att.net wrote:
> In <97691fd2-7411-4ccc-bc7b-290aca633...@z30g2000prg.googlegroups.com>, use...@scriptoriumdesigns.com writes:
>
> >Serious question:  What do you consider the N best things / strong
> >points / biggest benefits of using Ada?  I'm asking as part of my case-
> >building for using Ada at work.  Of course I have my own list, but I
> >don't have anywhere near the Ada experience of most of you folks.
>
> >Thanks.
>
> 1. RM defines the language.
>
> 2. Muti-Core programs are easy. Just modify/create few run-time packages to
> switch the real-time concurrent system to a real-time mutiple-core system.
>
> 3. Readablity, Reliability, Maintainability, and Efficiency.
>
> 4. Portable without conditionals statement. Update the OS or change
> processor only requires a simple recomping of the source code without
> changes.
>
> 5. from Section 1 of the RM 95:
>
>                              Section 1: General
>
> 1   Ada is a programming language designed to support the construction of
> long-lived, highly reliable software systems.  The language includes
> facilities to define packages of related types, objects, and operations.  The
> packages may be parameterized and the types may be extended to support the
> construction of libraries of reusable, adaptable software components.  The
> operations may be implemented as subprograms using conventional sequential
> control structures, or as entries that include synchronization of concurrent
> threads of control as part of their invocation.  The language treats
> modularity in the physical sense as well, with a facility to support separate
> compilation.
>
> 2   The language includes a complete facility for the support of real-time,
> concurrent programming.  Errors can be signaled as exceptions and handled
> explicitly.  The language also covers systems programming; this requires
> precise control over the representation of data and access to
> system-dependent properties.  Finally, a predefined environment of standard
> packages is provided, including facilities for, among others, input-output,
> string manipulation, numeric elementary functions, and random number
> generation.

A few years at a eminent european institution which uses Ada, C++ and
linux I was hired as part of a 5 man team  to conduct a migration of a
monumental system from a 32 bit environment to a 64 bit environment.
There were two C++ guys, one hardware guy and I was the ada guy, and
the boss flew in, / worked remtoely a lot. Two days after the start
the Boss Guy took me aside to tell me that there appeared to be no
work for me because the Ada was all going to work. The rest required
all sorts of changes. (Luckily I was useful elsewhere).