Fun Survey

[dog.ee.lbl.gov!news!manta!fortin@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Richard G. Fortin)]

1) Native Language: English
 
1b) Computer Languages (in order learned): Ten Statement Fortran,
    Basic, RPG-II, WATFIV Fortran, IBM Mainframe Assembler, Pascal,
    MC68000 Assembler, Cobol, CMS-2Y, C, Ada, 80X86 Assembler, C++

2) First Language programmed in (is there any other way to learn??!)
   Ten Statement Fortran

3) First Assembly platform: IBM Mainframe (circa 1982)

4) Which compiler would you buy (no cost constraint):
   Since others seem to be stating dream compilers (i.e., non-existing)
   yes, I would run out and have an Ada9x compiler developed.  However,
   if we stick with the real world, (and the hardware I own) it'd have
   to be Borland C++ with Applications Framework.

5) Which compiler would you buy (with cost constraints):
   Right now, it'd have to be Borland C++ without the Applications
   Frameworks, which is what I did.  The basis for this ties into the
   economic picture.  I already feel comfortable with Ada, having used
   it for several large projects in the past, and I always have an Ada
   compiler available just a phone call away at work.  I'm still trying
   to grasp the full concept of C++ (which is certainly more marketable)
   and therefore really need a compiler available to test things.

Let me add my own additional questions:
6) Which compiler do you choose for small, general class, programming
problems?
I usually use C because for small efforts I'll just lump everything 
together in one file and I/O is so much easier in C (both file and screen).

7) Which compiler do you choose for large, general class, programming
problems (assuming such exist)?
As indicated above, I've yet to come across a truly large effort which
didn't contain some facet which suggested one language over another.
Anyone out there have one??
P.S. I do find that for large efforts, Ada's advantages outweigh what
I consider it's disadvantages (strings handling, I/O, lack of OTS libraries)

Richard Fortin                  | fortin@manta.nosc.mil
SAIC, Engineering Systems Group |--------------------------------
10770 Wateridge Circle          |It is easier to criticize than
San Diego, CA 92121             |to be correct.