Re: The Hobby Lobby was Windows CE?

[Gary Scott <Gary.L.Scott@lmtas.lmco.com>]

Hi,
I guess that I would only add that there are actually multiple Fortran
compilers available for x86/win32 (I know of at least 5 actively
marketed (as the only or main product made by the companies involved),
selling enough to keep those companies afloat.  Likewise, there are a
similar number of cross-platform GUI development libraries with Fortran
as the target language that are selling quite well.  I'd also mention
that indeed the applications that Fortran is used are quite varied again
as they once were.  I've created many Win32 GUI applications that span
the possibilities (databases, financial, networked, CGI, graphics,
calculation utilities, etc.), not simply numerical calculation/algorithm
development as many seem to think.

What I would like to see is a package product containing several
compilers (i.e. single development environment, choose the language that
fits the problem/user/whim) of for example C++, Fortran, and Ada (and
possibly PASCAL/Delphi, although Ada should satifisfy that need well). 
If this included a decent cross-platform GUI development library, then
the development environment could be written using that library,
creating a similar development environment on each platform.  This would
also allow the creation of a wide variety of applications that are
source compatible across platforms (thinking general purpose
computing).  If you could package 3 compilers with GINO for example,
you'd have an extremly powerful development tool set.  In addition, all
of the Fortran vendors are working on .NET products (whether you like
.NET or not), so cross-platform "executables" from traditional languages
are just around the corner.  This would be a big plus in terms of
encouraging those entrenched users of other languages into trying Ada
out.  They can still be productive by using the language they know, but
learn Ada at their own pace.  Typically, the biggest cost is in the
development environment, not in the compiler.  If you can include 3
"adequate quality" compilers (should be readily available for most
common platforms), you can minimize the cost of the development
environment using this method.

Marin David Condic wrote:
> 
> No, it isn't strictly necessary to get it into store shelves, but it sure
> helps a lot if you want to sell lots of copies. :-)
> 
> The case you cite is a bit different. Fortran, as a language, has an
> extremely large number of users in a wide variety of application areas.
> These users already know the language and use the language, so you don't
> need to sell them on the language itself. Ada - while it has a dedicated and
> non-trivial following - does not have such a large base of existing users.
> So you first have to sell "The Masses" on the notion of using the language,
> then you can sell them on the particular implementation.
> 
> I'm sure among the dedicated Ada users already in existence, that most of
> them have no real need to go to a store to buy it. They either get it
> downloaded from one or more sources off of the net or already have
> relationships with vendors or at minimum know who to go to in order to get
> something they already wanted. This is analogous to the Visual Fortran 95
> users you cite - just not as large a number. But how many sales are there to
> people who have no current use of Fortran or no special knowledge of Fortran
> or who may not even know what Fortran is?
> 
> That particular group of potential customers is what Ada has to reach out
> and get to.
> 
> MDC
> --
> Marin David Condic
> Senior Software Engineer
> Pace Micro Technology Americas    www.pacemicro.com
> Enabling the digital revolution
> e-Mail:    marin.condic@pacemicro.com
> Web:      http://www.mcondic.com/
> 
> "Gary Scott" <Gary.L.Scott@lmtas.lmco.com> wrote in message
> news:3BB340C6.DC51CB98@lmtas.lmco.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > But is it even necessary to get it onto store shelves.  Visual Fortran
> > 95 from Compaq/Intel isn't in any stores that I'm aware of and it's
> > selling like hot cakes (estimate about 100 copies at my site alone).
> >