Re: Assembly language (was: Re: Another 1.3 wish.)

[kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan)]

In article <1191@wayback.UUCP> arny@wayback.UUCP (Arny B. Engelson) writes:
>In article <11466@linus.UUCP>, sdl@linus.UUCP (Steven D. Litvintchouk) writes:
>> 
>> In article <2176@xanth.UUCP> kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) writes:
>> 
>> > DOD could save grunches of training costs downstream by sponsoring
>> > high quality, validated, PUBLIC DOMAIN Ada(tm) compilers for the
>> > existing suitable home computers now.  
>> 
>> > At the rate things are going, it might be 5 years before a validated
>> > Ada compiler priced for the home user is available.  That is just five
>> > more years of DOD funding essentially all Ada training.
>> 
>> Meridian is developing a compiler for the IBM PC, and it's logical to
>> assume that they or someone else will host/target the Mac.
>> 
>
>[...] this is what Meridian says [in an ad] (paraphrased):
>Meridian's AdaVantage v2.0 has been validated on the IBM PC/XT, IBM PC/AT,
>and the Zenith Z-248.  [...] The price is listed at $795 [...]
>An AdaTraining compiler (aimed at the educational folks) sells for $395,
>and an AdaStarter compiler for $129, which they say incorporates all the
>features, but limits the number of library units and lines per compilation
>unit. [...] Seems to me like a short 5 years, doesn't it?
>
>I've never seen these tools, but it sure sounds like they're heading in the
>right direction.  Hopefully, we'll soon see a lot more Ada tools in this
>price range.

>Arny B. Engelson   {ihnp4|bonnie|clyde}!wayback!arny

I was aware of the Meridian ad when I made the previous posting,
although it was conveyed to me as $795 PRE-validated, and a bit over
$1000 validated.  This is still way off the mark, as is a crippled
version (why bother?) at $139.  The price needs to get down to Turbo
Pascal's $49.95 introductory offer, to penetrate a market which is,
after all, not clamoring for Ada compilers in the $800-$1000 range.

Meridian's offering is a big improvement over the previous Alsys
offering in terms of price: a three or fourfold improvement, I think,
but it surely isn't going to put Ada(tm) in the hands of every school
kid in America.

On the other hand, DOD could probably buy the rights to Meridian's
product for well under $10,000,000, (getting the first Ada compiler
ever procured by DOD on  a firm, fixed price contract and delivered on
schedule!)  and use it to promulgate Ada throughout the land.

Just a dream of course.  When has the government ever done anything
rational?  ;-)  After all, they used to employ me!

Kent, the man from xanth.