Versions of Ada (was Why no exception hierarchy ?)

[kilgallen@eisner.decus.org (Larry Kilgallen)]

In article <3lurur$esb@butch.lmsc.lockheed.com>, l107353@cliffy.lfwc.lockheed.com (Garlington KE) writes:
> Jean D. Ichbiah (ichbiah@jdi.tiac.net) wrote:

> : As a Gnat vendor your zeal at burrying Ada prematurely is 
> : clearly understandable, but let us be a bottle of Dom  Perignon
> : that total lines of Ada 95 do not exceed those of Ada before 2000?
> 
> Ummm.. if I compile my Ada [not 95] code with my Tartan 9X compiler in 
> a couple of years, will that make it Ada 95 code?
> 
> If so, this might be an interesting bet! Will enough Ada [not 95] compilers
> support Ada 95 by 2000 that most of the existing Ada code has been recompiled
> under at least one of them by one user?

Even though I am a teetotaller, I do not want to stand between these two
folks and their Dom Perignon.  I do think, however, that what is crucial
is not what goes on inside the computer, but what goes on inside the mind
of the programmer.

Even if Ada 95 is "better" for some purposes, It is not better for all.

I used Ada for 6 years without ever using Tasking.  I had no need for
Tasking.  Last year a new project brought me to Ada specifically due
to a need for Tasking.  That is in a project situation where Ada
would otherwise be a total non-contender due to lack of a supported
compiler, particularly on the Macintosh.  (P.S., supported on the
Macintosh means the vendor stays up to date with each new toolbox
as Apple distributes it to thousands of developers six months in
advance of public release.)

Don't _ever_ turn up your nose at _any_ Ada user who lacks a need for
every bell and whistle ever invented.  Until you are able to point to
solid supported commercial compilers for every platform (in my environment)
and freeware compilers for every platform (for education environments),
every Ada convert should be received lovingly regardless of version
affiliation. (By the way, most of my latest project is in Pascal, due
to widespread availability.  There is a bit of VAX Scan, however, to
convert between Pascal dialects on various platforms.  That is why
I love Ada -- compilers at least attempt to comply with standards.)

Larry Kilgallen
using Ada without government mandate