Re: Reasons NOT To Choose Ada

["Smith A. Cat" <imbe@primenet.com>]

Michiel Perdeck wrote:
> 
> I would like to see a list of (real and imaginary) Reasons NOT To Choose
> Ada (RNTCA) (and choose either C, C++, Java (!), Pascal, Delphi,
> Powerbuilder etc...) in a particular project. I am also, even more so,
> interested in the refutation of those reasons, but lets start with the
> RNTCA('s) first. I need this as intellectual ammunition because I want to
> get my company to more often choose Ada, particularly instead of C, C++
> and Java. By the way, how much of a thread is Java for Ada?


at my company, i have found the most compelling argument for using this
over that is to write a really hot app in the new language and tell
people who like the app that it was written in whatever.

beyond that, there is NO argument recommending one language over
another, when they both are capable of doing the job.  back when we ran
286's we programmed most things in MS BASIC PDS7 because development was
really quick and the video and serial IO routines were good enough. 
when we got 486's and pentiums that language couldn't hack it, most of
the serial IO routines went buggy!  so now we use C.

there is a great deal of attraction to use the "newest", "hottest",
whatever; but what do you want it to do?  if you just want to handicap
the rest of the programmers in your group maybe you should just quit and
save your company some grief.  if you are sincerely trying to optimize
the programming environment at work, then your questions seem off base. 
they imply that there are no existing projects! is that the case?  if it
is then you better start with something well understood by SOMEBODY
there, or you are going to get up and crawl when you need to run.
smith