Rules of thumb

Rules of thumb

[swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!hellgate.utah.edu!csn!news.den.mmc.com!sims]

Greetings, folks
	
	We've been having some discussion in the office regarding
	conversion to Ada from "other" languages.  We've heard in the
	folklore of computing that somewhere there is a government
	regulation or guideline which states in effect that when you
	must modify more than 30% of the SLOCs in a module, you must
	re-write it in Ada.  Can anyone validate/substantiate/repudiate
	this data point or give me some leaders on where to pursue it
	further?  I would be most appreciative.

Thanks in advance

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============================================================================
John Sims    sims@den.mmc.com
OPINION?  You mean my employer will let me have an opinion?

Re: Rules of thumb

[cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!rela]

In comp.lang.ada, sims@pogo.den.mmc.com (John Sims) writes:
>Greetings, folks
>
>        We've been having some discussion in the office regarding
>        conversion to Ada from "other" languages.  We've heard in the
>        folklore of computing that somewhere there is a government
>        regulation or guideline which states in effect that when you
>        must modify more than 30% of the SLOCs in a module, you must
>        re-write it in Ada.  Can anyone validate/substantiate/repudiate
>        this data point or give me some leaders on where to pursue it
>        further?  I would be most appreciative.
>
>Thanks in advance
>
>--
>============================================================================
>John Sims    sims@den.mmc.com
>OPINION?  You mean my employer will let me have an opinion?

John,

1.  I think you may be referring to an interim Department of the Navy 
guideline which was signed out by Dr. Whitman about six to eight weeks
ago.  Dr. Whitman is the new C4I czar for lack of a better term.  I don't
remember his title because DASN(IRM) has been disbanded and reorganized 
under his auspices.

2.  Reading the document, I remember seeing clauses referring to the kind 
of language you referred to.  I cannot remember if it was 30% of source
code modification as a threshold for rewriting a module in Ada, but there
was some language to that effect.  The exact percentage figure escapes me
as I am at home, and do not have access to the document.

3.  If I remember correctly, and my memory is admittedly very weak, so quoting
me is dangerous, this policy that he promulgated is interim for the Department
of the Navy until such time that formal DOD policy is promulgated.

Very Respectfully,
Steve Carr
CDR, SC, USN
Commander, Naval Air Systems Command (AIR-4114A)
Washington, DC 20361-4110
DDN:  air4114a@oasys.dt.navy.mil

Re: Rules of thumb

[mvb.saic.com!eafbvax!eafbtems!martin]

In article <1991Aug23.143641.6524@den.mmc.com>, sims@pogo.den.mmc.com (John Sim
s) writes:
> 	We've heard in the
> 	folklore of computing that somewhere there is a government
> 	regulation or guideline which states in effect that when you
> 	must modify more than 30% of the SLOCs in a module, you must
> 	re-write it in Ada.

The Air Force Policy on Programming Languages - ACTION MEMORANDUM signed
by Mr Lloyd Moseman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
(Communications, Computers, and Logistics) on 7 August 1990 states  in
Section 5, Policy:

       "c. Ada is required when more than one-third of the existing code
       is altered (excluding COTS (Commercial Off-the-Shelf)) at any one
       time.  (Under one-third waiver not required).  System managers
       are encouraged to move to Ada with any software or hardware
       upgrade."

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Gary S. Martin                !  (805)277-4509  DSN 527-4509
6510th Test Wing/TSWS         !  Martin@Edwards-TEMS.af.mil
Edwards AFB, CA 93523-5000    ! 
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