Re: Ada Component Registry proposal

["Robert I. Eachus" <rieachus@comcast.net>]

sk wrote:
> I would like to propose "Ada95" as the root of the library
> hierarchy.

I think we should be aiming for the future, not the past.

> This naming convention could also be used to happily distinguish
> between code strictly for '83, '95 and '0y
> 
> Ada83.Gtk, Ada83.SDL, Ada83.Sockets etc.
> Ada95.Gtk, Ada95.SDL, Ada95.Sockets etc.
> Ada0y.Gtk, Ada0y.SDL, Ada0y.Sockets etc.

What about Ada80.Sockets, Ada87.Sockets, and Ada2000.Sockets?

The differences between some of these versions, and others not mentioned 
is slight.  (For example, there were three differences between MIL-STD 
1815A, and ANSI/MIL-STD 1815A, and the second was the page number for 
2-2. ;-)  But the current standard really is Ada 2000, although its 
formal name is more cumbersome.  It is possible to get a copy of TC1 and 
see what changed between Ada 95 and Ada 2000, but I prefer to just use 
the standard as posted at: http://www.ada-auth.org/~acats/arm.html

To quote from that page: "When ISO published the Technical Corrigendum, 
it did not also publish a document that merges the Technical Corrigendum 
changes into the text of the International Standard. However, ISO rules 
require that the project editor for the Technical Corrigendum be able to 
produce such a document on demand. The document available here is what 
the project editor would provide to ISO in response to such a request. 
It should be understood that the publication of any ISO document 
involves changes in "boilerplate" as well as a review by professional 
editors that may introduce editorial changes."

I'm not trying to be a stickler for accuracy here, just pointing out 
that the Ada standard is evolving.  I'd hate to have the CAL come out 
labelled as Ada95 (or Ada2000) just in time for the Ada 0X standard.

> I am not trying in any way to usurp RI Eachus' effort, I am
> just trying to keep the ball rolling whilst he is formalizing.
> 
> There seems to be a lot of momentum at the moment for defining
> and creating a common/standard library and I want to keep it going.
> 
> With the idea of keeping the momentum going, I am willing to
> volunteer a start at doing some of the inventory work to meet
> RI Eachus' proposal and as per any discussion that this message
> invokes..

I'll be calling soon. ;-)  But right now I could use a couple more 
people who know XML to do some reviewing.

-- 
                                                     Robert I. Eachus

"Quality is the Buddha. Quality is scientific reality. Quality is the 
goal of Art. It remains to work these concepts into a practical, 
down-to-earth context, and for this there is nothing more practical or 
down-to-earth than what I have been talking about all along...the repair 
of an old motorcycle."  -- from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle 
Maintenance by Robert Pirsig