From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: * X-Spam-Status: No, score=1.1 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_20,INVALID_DATE autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,e384729507492509 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 1994-10-30 01:14:34 PST Path: nntp.gmd.de!xlink.net!rz.uni-karlsruhe.de!news.uni-stuttgart.de!news.belwue.de!news.dfn.de!Germany.EU.net!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!caen!msuinfo!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!yarrina.connect.com.au!warrane.connect.com.au!godzilla.zeta.org.au!not-for-mail From: andrewl@zeta.org.au (Andrew Lees) Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Ada in Australia (was Ada ad in Embedded Systems Programming stinks) Date: 30 Oct 1994 12:14:14 +1100 Organization: Kralizec Dialup Unix Sydney, +61-2-837-1183 V.32bis Message-ID: <38us16$c0e@godzilla.zeta.org.au> References: <9410131051.AA29342@eurocontrol.de> <38neq3$9dg@f111.iassf.easams.com.au> NNTP-Posting-Host: localhost.zeta.org.au Date: 1994-10-30T12:14:14+11:00 List-Id: bjw@f111.iassf.easams.com.au (Brendan WALKER) writes: [snip] >It is also worth noting that of three Ada projects you mentioned, I know for >a fact that at least two of these are in SERIOUS trouble, facing serious >architectual/design problems and the resulting cost and schedule slip (like 3+ >years late!!). Hmm, I suspect that I should not really respond to this, but the implication here (that Ada is involved in any problems these projects may have ) is simply too wrong to leave alone. I am aware of all of these projects, having been involved in one for seven years, having technically auditted one other, and having close contacts in the third. Where there have been problems, the root causes have been in the management domain rather than the technical. This is so on both of the projects that have had some difficulties. On the project that has not had difficulties, the same applies: the reason for its success has been consistently excellent management. In my direct experience (and despite my own doubts along the way) Ada has been a good implementation language for large projects. What needs to be understood is that no language can make up for unresolved management issues. When management issues start to become solved, projects start to make real progress. The design of the Ada language simplifies the management of the software production process considerably. When used well, the visibility structures of the language enable very rapid understanding to be obtained of code to which one has had no previous exposure. My role frequently involves system troubleshooting so I value this aspect of the language highly. I know of no other language in large scale use that would be as helpful. (Yes, I have spent many years developing software in 'C'). I see Ada as providing significant benefits in the development of large systems. Having said this, I can see that we are not yet taking proper advantage of all that can be gained from the language, with better design processes and attendent reduction in rework having particular scope for useful productivity improvements. >---------------------------------------------------------------------- >-- >Brendan Walker | The opinions expressed above are obviously >IASSF Project, | the ramblings of a troubled mind, and >EASAMS (Australia) | therefore not those of my employer. Andrew Lees. (andrewl@kralizec.zeta.org.au)