Meridian Ada Compiler Evaluation

Meridian Ada Compiler Evaluation

[aio!gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov!hutch]

I'm taking an Ada class at the local university.  They point you at 
the Meridian Ada compiler for an IBM PC for $91.

Is it worth it?

Hutch 

Re: Meridian Ada Compiler Evaluation

[Brown_John]

Mark Hutchison [CSC] writes:
>I'm taking an Ada class at the local university.  They point you at 
>the Meridian Ada compiler for an IBM PC for $91.
>
>Is it worth it?
>
>Hutch

Several of us at work took an Ada class last spring using Meridian's new 
Ada compiler (v4.1).  The $150 version (that's what we paid) is a good 
choice for an Ada class if you plan to do your work on a PC and don't 
have access to (or can't afford) a "full-blown" environment.  The 
Meridian compiler is a full Ada implementation.  What you don't get for 
$150 is protected/extended memory support (for compilations, as well as  
for applications) and multi-user/network support.  You will be able to 
develop small programs for class assignments with no problem.  However, 
as your application becomes larger, you have to use a "batch" 
compilation mode which conserves memory and is a little slower.  The 
problem with this is that you can't use the make facility with the 
"batch" mode and have to re-compile manually.  Also, don't count on the 
debugger for too much help.  The documentation is good, and includes 
an LRM.  It also has an editor with the LRM on-line; however, I didn't 
use this feature.  As for the compiler itself, it supported 
everything we did in the class, including tasking, interrupt handlers 
for I/O and for DOS services, and generics.  All in all, it met our 
needs for the class and was a buy at $150.  (I don't know what the 
current price is.)

J. Brown
jbrown@lanmail.ncsc.navy.mil
-- Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are my own.
-- "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."

Re: Meridian Ada Compiler Evaluation

[Michael Feldman]

In article <9109101316.AA04145@lanmail.NCSC.NAVY.MIL> Brown_John@LANMAIL.NCSC.N
AVY.MIL writes:
>Mark Hutchison [CSC] writes:
>>I'm taking an Ada class at the local university.  They point you at 
>>the Meridian Ada compiler for an IBM PC for $91.
>>
>>Is it worth it?
[stuff deleted]

>>
>for I/O and for DOS services, and generics.  All in all, it met our 
>needs for the class and was a buy at $150.  (I don't know what the 
>current price is.)
>
The current "onesies" price is still $149. for students. Meridian gives
reductions to students at schools that've bought a site license for
school-owned machines.

We've used this compiler - in successive versions - for about 4 years
at both George Washington Univ. (my permanent home) and the Univ. of
Washington (where I'm visiting). Decent, stable system. Certainly
worth its price. For full 386 support you need to pay much bigger
bucks.

Mike Feldman
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael B. Feldman
Visiting Professor 1991-92               Professor
Dept. of Comp. Sci. and Engrg.           Dept. of Elect. Engrg. and Comp. Sci.
University of Washington FR-35           The George Washington University
Seattle, WA 98105                        Washington, DC 20052
(206) 685-1376 (voice)                   (202) 994-5253 (voice)
(206) 543-2969 (fax)                     (202) 994-5296 (fax)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Re: Meridian Ada Compiler Evaluation

[Bill Yow]

In article <1991Sep11.160048.3744@milton.u.washington.edu>, mfeldman@milton.u.w
ashington.edu (Michael Feldman) writes:
|> In article <9109101316.AA04145@lanmail.NCSC.NAVY.MIL> Brown_John@LANMAIL.NCS
C.NAVY.MIL writes:
|> >Mark Hutchison [CSC] writes:
|> >>I'm taking an Ada class at the local university.  They point you at 
|> >>the Meridian Ada compiler for an IBM PC for $91.
|> >>
|> >>Is it worth it?
|> [stuff deleted]
|> 
|> >>
|> >for I/O and for DOS services, and generics.  All in all, it met our 
|> >needs for the class and was a buy at $150.  (I don't know what the 
|> >current price is.)
|> >
|> The current "onesies" price is still $149. for students. Meridian gives
|> reductions to students at schools that've bought a site license for
|> school-owned machines.
|> 
|> We've used this compiler - in successive versions - for about 4 years
|> at both George Washington Univ. (my permanent home) and the Univ. of
|> Washington (where I'm visiting). Decent, stable system. Certainly
|> worth its price. For full 386 support you need to pay much bigger
|> bucks.

For the next two months the Meridian 386 Compiler is available for $500.

This includes the real mode compiler, 286 protected mode compiler and
a true 32 bit 386 protected mode compiler. 

After two months the price goes to $1695,  which is still less than what I
paid for my Meridian compiler in 1988.  Of course I also paid $1400 for 4 meg o
f
ram in 1988.  (I just bought another 4 meg for $210.00)


|> 
|> Mike Feldman
|> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
|> Michael B. Feldman
|> Visiting Professor 1991-92               Professor
|> Dept. of Comp. Sci. and Engrg.           Dept. of Elect. Engrg. and Comp. Sc
i.
|> University of Washington FR-35           The George Washington University
|> Seattle, WA 98105                        Washington, DC 20052
|> (206) 685-1376 (voice)                   (202) 994-5253 (voice)
|> (206) 543-2969 (fax)                     (202) 994-5296 (fax)
|> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---


						Later,
						Bill Yow
						(713) 283-4051
						yow@sweetpea.jsc.nasa.gov
						byow@mcimail.com

My opinions are my own!			

Re: Meridian Ada Compiler Evaluation

[Steve Hovater]

In article <1991Sep11.183106.11678@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> yow@sweetpea.jsc.nasa.gov 
(Bill Yow) writes:
>
-- quoted stuff deleted --
>For the next two months the Meridian 386 Compiler is available for $500.
>
>This includes the real mode compiler, 286 protected mode compiler and
>a true 32 bit 386 protected mode compiler. 
>
>After two months the price goes to $1695,  which is still less than what I
>paid for my Meridian compiler in 1988.  Of course I also paid $1400 for 4 meg 
of
>ram in 1988.  (I just bought another 4 meg for $210.00)
>
>
Just for the net's info, this is the same story I heard. One thing that 
no one has mentioned yet is the very good upgrade policy that Meridian
has. I managed to upgrade to the protected version for the difference
between its sale price and the intro package's price, and am preparing
to upgrade to the 386 version for the difference yet again.

I have worked with the Janus Ada compiler from R&R, and now with the 
Meridian, and have to give a rousing hurrah for Meridian. Although
frustrating at times, it's probably the best available in the under
1000 buck price range. 

"It ain't DEC Ada - but then, this ain't a VAX."

--
Steven V. Hovater,                                  Mit der Dummheit kampfen
Computer Programmer Analyst                         Gotter selbst vergebens.
Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Corp.                           -- Schiller
(713) 550-7802 (voice)                             svh@nuchat.sccsi.com 
-- 
--
Steven V. Hovater,                                  Mit der Dummheit kampfen
Computer Programmer Analyst                         Gotter selbst vergebens.
Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Corp.                           -- Schiller