Re: Top 10 Language Constructs (Ada)

[Scott Ingram` <scott@silver.jhuapl.edu>]

David Kristola wrote:

> On Sat, 15 Jul 2000 16:36:15 -0700, Marc A. Criley wrote
> (in message <3970F56F.F3A70FAD@icdc.com>):
>
> > The critical foundation of the Ada programming language is its "type model".
> > (In claiming this I want to credit Doug Bryan for triggering this insight
> > for me at an Ada conference seminar about a dozen years ago.)
>
> I'd like to second David Botton's "Dude!".

I am also going to second David's "Dude!"  And nod in
Doug's direction as well!  Marc's post is one of those
nuggets that just makes life for the sweaty masses out
here worthwhile.  (Knowing that I am an Adaphile in
my small town causes small children to cast stones at me,
dogs to bark when I walk the street, and I am convinced
that I catch no fish because of it :)

> A word of caution.  Types are the foundation of many programs.
> Poorly laid out types can cause all kinds of problems.  I've seen
> a case where a bad type choice at a fundamental level caused type
> converts to be needed in hundreds of places throughout the code.
>
> --
> --djk, keeper of arcane lore & trivial fluff
> Home: David95036 plus 1 at america on-line
> Spam: goto.hades@welovespam.com

As with any extremely powerful tool, Ada can bite you.  I have
written things that "I am not proud of."  Fortunately, its much
rarer in Ada.