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=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,FREEMAIL_FROM autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,bc1361a952ec75ca X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-07-30 05:44:39 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news2.google.com!newsfeed.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.mathworks.com!cyclone.swbell.net!cyclone-sf.pbi.net!206.13.28.183!nnrp5-w.sbc.net.POSTED!not-for-mail Message-ID: <3B6557D2.DC2F9F2F@sneakemail.com> From: Russ Paielli <18k11tm001@sneakemail.com> X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.77 [en] (X11; U; Linux 2.4.3-20mdk i686) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: How to make Ada a dominant language References: <9k36ae$138k$1@pa.aaanet.ru> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 05:49:22 -0700 NNTP-Posting-Host: 63.194.87.148 X-Complaints-To: abuse@pacbell.net X-Trace: nnrp5-w.sbc.net 996497078 63.194.87.148 (Mon, 30 Jul 2001 05:44:38 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2001 05:44:38 PDT Organization: SBC Internet Services Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:10731 Date: 2001-07-30T05:49:22-07:00 List-Id: Gary Lisyansky wrote: > > "Russ" <18k11tm001@sneakemail.com> wrote in message > news:bebbba07.0107292308.d1192fc@posting.google.com... > > The Ada programming language is based on an excellent fundamental > > design, but it is much less popular than it could be because it has an > > awkward, "klunky" syntax. I propose to clean up the syntax by > > borrowing from Python. Python is very popular high level "scripting" > > language with a reputation for promoting clean, clear code. The new > > syntax could be translated into Ada95 syntax with a relatively simple > > "preprocessor," so existing compilers could still be used, old code > > would continue to work, and programmers could continue to use the old > > syntax if they wish. > > Ada is known to favour code reader over the code writer, while Python tends > to be a typical "write only" language. Sorry, but that's just baloney. You must be confusing Python with Perl. > > > > Here are the syntax changes I propose: > > > > 1. Eliminate the "end" keyword and make the indentation structure an > > inherent part of the syntax, as in Python. > > This makes whitespace the part of the language syntax. In practice, it's not > convenient, and adds *extremely nasty* tab/space problems. In common, it's a > bug generator. Whitespace is already part of the language syntax. Don't believe me? Take all the whitespace out of your programs and see if they still work. > > > > 2. Eliminate the requirement for a semicolon after each executable > > statement, but allow semicolons for combining multiple statements on a > > line, as in Python. > > "Physical" line is not an element of Ada syntax. Writing statements in one > line or several lines is purely the question of style which allows for more > flexibility and readability. Changing this doesn't make any sense. In fact, > suggestions 1 and 2 are in contradiction to the very idea of a free- form > language. If 99% of executable statements are on one line, it is ridiculous to clutter every line with a semicolon. > > > > 3. Use "=" rather than ":=" for assignment, as in Python. (Use "==" > > for equality testing if necessary to avoid confusion with assignment.) > > > > 4. Use "=" instead of "=>" for passing arguments by named association, > > as in Python. > > > > 5. Reverse the backward declaration syntax. For example, use "integer: > > count" instead of "count: integer", or use "integer in: count" instead > > of "count: in integer". > > Exactly the same amount of typing. Only the reverse order of words that > seems to be less readable. The point is not the amount of typing. And I'll bet that the vast majority of non-Ada-programmers think it is more, not less, readable. Russ