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From: Marin David Condic <condicma@bogon.pwfl.com>
Subject: Re: The International standard paper on Ada !!
Date: 1999/09/23
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Date: 1999-09-23T00:00:00+00:00
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David Botton wrote:

> Marin David Condic wrote in message <37E90673.697F68E1@pwfl.com>...
> >The ability to download the Ada standard in .PS format has helped me with
> >teaching my in-house Ada class.
>
> If it wasn't for the free standards document and GNAT, I don't know if I
> would have ever gotten in to Ada.

IMHO, This is one of the things that the Ada community has done *right* in
promoting Ada. "Here's your compiler free of charge. Here's your standard
document free of charge. Here's some on-line tutorials to get you started free
of charge, etc. etc. etc." That makes it *very* easy for the student or
curious developer to charge off and start playing games with it.

I also think it helps that GNAT installs easily and reliably so that the
relatively new & unsophisticated computer programmer doesn't hit snags which
may discourage them.

Now suppose for a minute that someone were to put together a CD that had GNAT
on it along with a good hypertext/interactive tutorial, a printed copy of the
ARM and a book entitled "Teach Yourself Ada95 In 21 Days" or "Ada95 For Smart
People (because all the dummies are using C++!)". Put the whole thing in a
shrink wrapped box with spiffy graphics and a sticker that says "All this for
the amazing discount price of $99.95" and see if CompUSA would stick it on the
shelf next to the Visual C++ boxes. That and maybe a few guest appearances on
the computer-oriented radio chat shows and there may be a real surge in Ada
usage, eh?

MDC
--
Marin David Condic
Real Time & Embedded Systems, Propulsion Systems Analysis
United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney, Large Military Engines
M/S 731-95, P.O.B. 109600, West Palm Beach, FL, 33410-9600
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