Re: Typing Ada

[rracine@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu (Roger Racine)]

There are many different approaches to software design.  I do not believe
that everyone can use pictures to do this.  If you are at all familiar with
the "left hemisphere" and "right hemisphere" (of the brain) theories, this
should be obvious.  Many people have difficulty thinking in words.  They
think in pictures (Einstein was one of these types of people).  

Then there are those who think in words.  They have difficulty picturing
things in their minds.  

Personally, I like to write words (Ada) and look at pictures for an overview.
I have tried to use graphics packgaes to draw the design, and find myself
"translating" the words into the graphics.  It would have been much more
efficient if I had a tool to help me write the words AND a tool to translate
the words into pictures.

The same thing was true with flowcharts.  I always wrote the code first and
then wrote the flowcharts.  When I started working on the Space Shuttle
program and found them using a flowchart generator, I was thrilled.

I view the graphical design approaches as slightly better than flowcharting.
I still prefer to design in a word-oriented manner.