Ada STYLE GUIDE FOLLOWUP

Ada STYLE GUIDE FOLLOWUP

[SYSTEMS Administrator]

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To: action
Subject: Ada STYLE GUIDE FOLLOWUP
Date: Wed, 09 Jan 91 12:24:05 EST
From: SYSTEMS Administrator (AJPO.SEI.CMU.EDU) <action>


TO:	  AJPO Host Users

FROM:     John P. Solomond, Director, Ada Joint Program Office

SUBJECT:  Ada STYLE GUIDE FOLLOWUP

DATE:	  9 January 1991

>From 20 September to 20 November, 1990, the Ada Joint Program Office (AJPO)
made a draft Ada style guide available and invited public comments about
the suitability of using it as the basis for a military handbook.  Comments
were solicited through the Defense Data Network (DDN) and the Ada
Information Clearinghouse (AdaIC) Bulletin Board.

A public review was held on 6 December at the TRI-Ada conference in
Baltimore.

Usability:

Many users noted the benefits to be obtained from the availability of a
generally recognized style guide.  In its absence, organizations frequently
write their own guides from scratch -- duplicating work already performed
elsewhere.

However, other users pointed out that the problem was not really the lack
of a style guide; some suggested there were even too many guides
available in some organizations.  Rather, they felt the problem was the
lack of a convenient, readable guide that would actually encourage its own
use.

The problem was not that there weren't any guides, but that the guides
available weren't being read and followed.

Without too many specifics:

Additionally, it was felt that a guide should leave certain areas open for
each organization to choose (such as indentation conventions).  In this
regard, some felt that the proposed draft was over-specific in its
prescriptions -- and had to be that way because it was itself intended to
be used with a specific organization.  (The document used for the draft was
the Ada Style Guide of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.)

A large number of users felt that it would be better to look for a style
guide that had been intended for use across a variety of organizations.
It was felt this would be much more efficient than attempting to
generalize a document that had been created to give all the detailed
guidance that would be needed in a specific project or organization.

A question:

One style guide was repeatedly mentioned as striking a good balance: the
Software Productivity Consortium's "Ada Quality and Style; Guidelines for
Professional Programmers".

The question now facing the Ada Joint Program Office is how to respond to
the comments and suggestions.

The primary need appears to be not just for another guide, but for one that
will be suitable for a variety of organizations, and one that will be
readily accepted by users.  If the SPC guide meets this dual need, the
problem is that it is a "private" product.  While the SPC engages in
general research, it is a profit-making venture.  How would that square
with getting the "blessing" of the AJPO?  We must now research the legality
and ramifications of endorsing a private product.  This is the avenue now
being considered between the AJPO and the SPC.



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Re: Ada STYLE GUIDE FOLLOWUP

[RICK CARLE]

In article <9101091728.AA29538@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu>, action@AJPO.SEI.CMU.EDU (SYSTEMS Administrator, AJPO.SEI.CMU.EDU) writes:
> FROM:     John P. Solomond, Director, Ada Joint Program Office
> 
> SUBJECT:  Ada STYLE GUIDE FOLLOWUP
> 
> ... If the SPC guide meets this dual need, the
> problem is that it is a "private" product.  While the SPC engages in
> general research, it is a profit-making venture.  How would that square
> with getting the "blessing" of the AJPO?...

Profit-making must be encouraged in all aspects of Ada.  The Ada
community learned 5 years ago (from ALS and AIE) that open competition
for profits produces the best products.  DoD has wisely endorsed a policy
of using commercial off-the-shelf computer hardware, software, and
standards (eg, VME bus, POSIX) whenever possible.  There's no reason to
stop short of commercial texts.  The Ada community must be opportunistic
and GRAB good products when they come along.  We can't compete with C/C++
otherwise.  Furthermore, SPC should not be pressured into donating their
product.  If they're discouraged from making a profit, that will just
keep other good ideas out of the Ada market.  We need those
profit-makers.

	Rick Carle