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=-0.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00, REPLYTO_WITHOUT_TO_CC autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,2def9aa85afa5d22 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-11-03 09:02:06 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news2.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!nntp.abs.net!newshub2.home.com!news.home.com!news.mindspring.net!not-for-mail From: Richard Riehle Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Joint Strike Fighter Date: Sat, 03 Nov 2001 08:58:03 -0800 Organization: AdaWorks Software Engineering Message-ID: <3BE4221B.34589071@adaworks.com> References: <3BDCE159.39F6D422@adaworks.com> <11bf7180.0110290311.4d8d6f04@posting.google.com> <3BDF9C6A.C25520C5@adaworks.com> <3BE023AB.8F235EF5@sparc01.ftw.rsc.raytheon.com> <9rp8mo$6d8$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <9rrmvl$98d$1@nh.pace.co.uk> Reply-To: richard@adaworks.com NNTP-Posting-Host: 9e.fc.cc.9f Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Server-Date: 3 Nov 2001 16:53:55 GMT X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.7 [en] (Win98; I) X-Accept-Language: en Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:15740 Date: 2001-11-03T16:53:55+00:00 List-Id: Marin David Condic wrote: > A lot of things go into the decision to move to C++. The techies may want it > because it is what they know or what they want to know for career > enhancement. Management may favor it because they figure its easier to hire > people who know C++, it has the appearance of where the computer industry is > going and "Nobody ever got fired for buying C++..." lemming mentality. One of the most important benefits of C++ is that, once people have enough experience with it, it becomes obvious how inherently hideous it is. For those with a cursory knowledge of C++, or those whose experience with it is shallow, the language can look quite appealing. Only after wrestling with some of the more entertaining aspects of the language in the production of large-scale software does one begin to realize that it falls far short of what they enjoyed with Ada. I know former Ada software developers who are now engaged, by managment fiat, in using C++. They were at first full of enthusiasm for moving to a better resume-building language. They looked at the simple C++ class model and considered it easier to understand than Ada's package model. In those early stages, C++ seemed more accessible. Ahhhh, but "the devil is in the details." The more preceptive among them eventually discover that whoever said, "C++ is its own virus" was on to something. Unfortunately, once they have committed to a particular course of action, they are stuck with it. It is too late for "buyer's remorse" to sve them. I believe it was Thorsten Veblen who used the phrase, "Caveat Emptor," to describe this situation. It makes one wonder whether those who are willing to risk using C++ for a safety-critical project are "playing dice with the universe." Richard Riehle