Best Ada95 reference

Best Ada95 reference

[Bruce Walker]

I have many years of Ada83 expierience and need to bone up
on Ada95.  I have the Thomson Ada95 compiler and it came with the
Object-Oriented Software in Ada 95 by Michael A. Smith.  Are there
better books out there?

Thanks in advance.

-- Disclaimer: 1) These are my opinions, not yours or my employers.
--             2) I didn't do it, and if I did I was pushed.

bruce_walker@itd.sterling.com    Sterling Software ITD  (402) 291-8300

Re: Best Ada95 reference

[Dave]

Bruce Walker wrote:
> 
> I have many years of Ada83 expierience and need to bone up
> on Ada95.  I have the Thomson Ada95 compiler and it came with the
> Object-Oriented Software in Ada 95 by Michael A. Smith.  Are there
> better books out there?
> 

It sounds like _Programming in Ada95_ by John Barnes or _Ada as a Second
Language, 2nd edition_ by Norman Cohen are the sorts of books that you
are looking for.  

Also, don't forget to grab a copy of the new Ada Language Reference
Manual -- it's actually quite useful.  (The online version is at  
http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC/standards/Welcome.html .)

Hope this helps.

-- Dave Jones

Re: Best Ada95 reference

[John Herro]

Bruce Walker <bruce_Walker@itd.sterling.com> writes:
> I have many years of Ada83 expierience
> and need to bone up on Ada95.  I have ...
> Object-Oriented Software in Ada 95 by
> Michael A. Smith.  Are there better books
> out there?
     I haven't seen the book you mentioned, but if you have a lot of Ada
83 experience, I strongly recommend RENDEZVOUS WITH ADA 95 by David
Naiditch, because the paragraphs new to Ada 95 are marked in the margin
with "Ada 95" and an arrow pointing to the new text.  Those proficient in
Ada 83 can skip everything else!
     At http://members.aol.com/AdaTutor/textbook.htm is a coupon you can
use to order the book directly from John Wiley and Sons.  (I have a very
small financial interest if you use the coupon, none if you get the book
by any other means.)
     I hope this helps.  Good luck upgrading to Ada 95!
- John Herro
Software Innovations Technology
http://members.aol.com/AdaTutor
ftp://members.aol.com/AdaTutor
The mathematical relationship between Christmas and Halloween:
31      =   25
  OCT         DEC

Re: Best Ada95 reference

[Simon Johnston]

Bruce Walker wrote:
> I have many years of Ada83 expierience and need to bone up
> on Ada95.  I have the Thomson Ada95 compiler and it came with the
> Object-Oriented Software in Ada 95 by Michael A. Smith.  Are there
> better books out there?

Not better, just different.
J.Barnes "Programming in Ada 95", Addison Wesley.
I would also recommend either of Mike Feldmans books also by Addison Wesley.
*new* John English "Ada 95:The Craft of Object-Oriented Programming", Prentice
 Hall 1997

Hope this helps, though you should have a look first and see how they relate to
 your experiences.

> Thanks in advance.
>
> -- Disclaimer: 1) These are my opinions, not yours or my employers.
> --             2) I didn't do it, and if I did I was pushed.
>
> bruce_walker@itd.sterling.com    Sterling Software ITD  (402) 291-8300
>
>
with StandardDisclaimer; use StandardDisclaimer;
package Sig is
--,-------------------------------------------------------------------------.
--|Simon K. Johnston - Development Engineer (C++/Ada95) |ICL Retail Systems |
--|-----------------------------------------------------|3/4 Willoughby Road|
--|Internet : skj@acm.org                               |Bracknell          |
--|Telephone: +44 (0)1344 476320 Fax: +44 (0)1344 476302|Berkshire          |
--|Internal : 7261 6320   OP Mail: S.K.Johnston@BRA0801 |RG12 8TJ           |
--|WWW URL  : http://www.acm.org/~skj/                  |United Kingdom     |
--`-------------------------------------------------------------------------'
end Sig;

Re: Best Ada95 reference

[Jane Hodges]

I am currently doing a Degree in Info Technology and learning to program 
in Ada is one of the modules.  As the 'set' text, we have been 
recommended 'Ada from the Beginning' by Jan Skansholm (Addison Wesley). 
 It's good, from a beginners point of view anyway!  I have a copy of the 
second edition but I believe the third edition is due any moment now.  
Hope this helps.

Jane

Re: Best Ada95 reference

[Matthew Heaney]

In article <VA.00000077.028a9ebe@arjhome>, janee@orchard.compulink.co.uk wrote:

>I am currently doing a Degree in Info Technology and learning to program 
>in Ada is one of the modules.  As the 'set' text, we have been 
>recommended 'Ada from the Beginning' by Jan Skansholm (Addison Wesley). 
> It's good, from a beginners point of view anyway!  I have a copy of the 
>second edition but I believe the third edition is due any moment now.  
>Hope this helps.

This may seem like heresy, but one of the best books for learning Ada 95 is
... the Ada 83 Rationale.  I've been programming in Ada for several years
and only just recently read it, but I shouldn't have waited!

It provides a simple, readable overview of all the language features and
explains the reasons for the choices they made during the language design. 
Best of all, it has tons of way cool examples!

I wish I had read it when I was learning Ada (though you never really
stop).  Doyens and novitiates: read the Ada 83 Rationale and you'll be glad
you did!

The Ada 83 Rationale is online (text only - no hypertext) at

<http://www.adahome.com/Resources/References.html>

For those of you who prefer hardcopy (as I do), get it from Silicon Press:

Silicon Press
25 Beverly Rd
Summit NJ 08901-1619
(908) 273-8919
<mailto:silicon@sp.com>

Rationale for the Design of the Ada Programming Language
ISBN 0-9615336-5-X
US$31.95

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Matthew Heaney
Software Development Consultant
mheaney@ni.net
(818) 985-1271

Re: Best Ada95 reference

[Robert Dewar]

Matthew said

"This may seem like heresy, but one of the best books for learning Ada 95 is
... the Ada 83 Rationale.  I've been programming in Ada for several years
and only just recently read it, but I shouldn't have waited!"

That't not heresy at all, but after reading the old testament, be sure to
read the new testament as well (the Ada 95 rationale) :-)