Re: Ada & IBM

[rcd@ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn)]

billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu (William Thomas Wolfe,
2847 ) writes in response to Ted Holden's comments about problems...
> >> ...due to IBM Ada implementations and tools (or lack thereof).  

>     Apparently IBM has now changed its tune; its recent brochure
>     entitled "Ada and IBM... Capability and Committment" states:

>       IBM is committed to Ada...

So what?  First, Ted did not address the question of whether IBM is
committed to Ada; he was talking about a report of real-world problems.

Second, "commitment" is not measured by glowing words in a brochure.  Do
you really think IBM would put out a brochure that said "Well, we're not
really keen on Ada, but it looks like we need it..."?

Wanna buy a bridge?  I'm committed to selling you the finest bridge.  It's
got support for modern engineering...hey, it supports lots of things.  It's
got breadth of application...you can apply it to any need as broad as the
bridge is wide...

Sheesh...it's marketing.  Do you believe every piece of advertising you
read?  Find out what's behind it.

What has IBM got for Ada?  Better yet, if you want to measure commitment,
find out how much new software THEY're writing in Ada (as opposed to
assembly language, or PL/S, or C, or...)

Do you really want a bold commitment from the company that gave us PL/I?
(Save the flames...yes, I know a lot of good software was written in PL/I.
It's still uglier than yesterday's roadkill.)
-- 
Dick Dunn     rcd@ico.isc.com    uucp: {ncar,nbires}!ico!rcd     (303)449-2870
   ...`Just say no' to mindless dogma.