Re: Jobs at Lockheed Martin

[Lao Xiao Hai <laoxhai@ix.netcom.com>]

David Kristola wrote:

> I know some of the key players on the THAAD team.  They are not idiots.
> They are smart, experienced, good engineers who don't like Ada.

Another case of smart people making a stupendously stupid decision.

> I have no doubt that they will build successful flight software using
> C++.  People working on the project will learn a new language, and in
> a few years, i would expect that many of those people will have moved
> on to other jobs in the valley.

Several good points.   They "will learn a new language" and only realize
too late how dreadful that new language is when they have an understanding
of the details.  I already see this happening in other organizations that have
made the mistake of selecting C++ instead of Ada.   Once they are commited
to this error, they have little choice but to continue and do the best they can
with a bad choice.

The second good point is that C++ is not a decision based on technical merit
but on future job opportunities.    Were they choosing on the basis of technical
merit, Ada would be the correct option.

It is odd that people who do not really understand C++ decide to use it instead of

Ada.   Anyone who chooses C++ instead of Ada either, 1) does not understand
Ada, 2) does not understand C++, 3) does not understand either one, or 4) has
some agenda that is not based on technical merit.

Richard Riehle