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 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Thread: a07f3367d7,f3e5998c25de429e X-Google-Attributes: gida07f3367d7,public,usenet X-Google-NewGroupId: yes X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,CP1252 Path: g2news2.google.com!postnews.google.com!r34g2000vba.googlegroups.com!not-for-mail From: Ludovic Brenta Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Arguments for using Ada Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 02:18:04 -0700 (PDT) Organization: http://groups.google.com Message-ID: <3ec1d99a-e9f7-4f7e-989a-7588189d27a8@r34g2000vba.googlegroups.com> References: <77f9ljF1h8vniU1@mid.individual.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: 153.98.68.197 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Trace: posting.google.com 1242724684 13540 127.0.0.1 (19 May 2009 09:18:04 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 09:18:04 +0000 (UTC) Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com Injection-Info: r34g2000vba.googlegroups.com; posting-host=153.98.68.197; posting-account=pcLQNgkAAAD9TrXkhkIgiY6-MDtJjIlC User-Agent: G2/1.0 X-HTTP-UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.10) Gecko/2009042316 Firefox/3.0.10,gzip(gfe),gzip(gfe) Xref: g2news2.google.com comp.lang.ada:5936 Date: 2009-05-19T02:18:04-07:00 List-Id: Georg Maubach wrote on comp.lang.ada: > Hi All, > > I am preparing a general suggestion for improvement into the group-wide > ideas and innovation management system of my employer. For this I would > like to back up me suggestion with some articles about the advantages of > using Ada. > > I have so far: > > Proof that a software development project using Ada takes less - instead > of more time - than expected: =84The Return of Ada=93 =A0(http://gcn.com/ > Articles/2008/04/11/The-return-of-Ada.aspx?Page=3D1):. > > Proof that complex systems within the logistics and transportation > industry work more reliable and can be better maintained using Ada than > other languages: =84European Train Control System=93 (http://www.adaic.co= m/ > atwork/euro.html): > > List of software systems based on Ada that work without defects and are > therefore never heart of (http://www.seas.gwu.edu/~mfeldman/ada-project- > summary.html,http://www.cs.kuleuven.ac.be/~dirk/ada-belgium/success/ > success.html). > > Ada is tought at German universities, programmers could be recruited from > there (http://www.ada-deutschland.de/ful/index.html). > > Proof of the activities of the Ada user community: FOSDEM 2009 - Ada > Developers Conference Room (http://www.cs.kuleuven.be/~dirk/ada-belgium/ > events/09/090207-fosdem.html), > Ada Europe Conference 2009 (http://www.ada-europe.org/ > conference2009.html), > ACM SigAda Conference 2009 (http://www.sigada.org/conf/sigada2009/), > Discussion Group (comp.lang.ada) > > Tools and Utitilites can be bought from many manufacturers, supplier > change is possible if needed, no single supplier dependency (http://www.i= bm.com/software/awdtools/developer/ada/,http://www.eds.com/, http://www.ada= core.com,http://www.aonix.com,http://www.ddci.com, http://www.ghs.com) I don't think this is relevant to most pointy-haired bosses :( They're content to become a captive customer of Microsoft, Sun (Java) and Intel (processors). Instead, I think the relevant idea is that they can choose one reliable supplier that provides support in the long term, and happily become captive. > Training courses are available from different suppliers (http://www.ddci.= com/,http://www.abssw.com,http://www.classwide.com/). Also www.adalog.fr. > What is missing are articles relating to the following: > > - There are enough Ada programmers available. At Eurocontrol we never have a problem recruiting Ada programmers, or people willing to convert to Ada. But pointy-haired bosses like to point out "the lack of Ada programmers" when they run out of excuses for poor engineering decisions. If a programmer can learn Java or C#, they can learn Ada. > - Ada can be used with more success than other languages. There was a > software development project at a university which asked a first group of > students to use C (not successful) and asked a second group of students > using Ada (succeessful). http://www.adaic.org/atwork/trains.html > - Links with content (e.g. research) that proofs that development with > Ada results in less defects than progams in other languages http://www.adaic.com/whyada/ada-vs-c/cada_art.html > - Links with content (e.g. research) that proofs that development with > Ada results in better maintainable software http://www.adaic.com/whyada/ada-vs-c/cada_art.html > Can you help me with links and information on the aspects still missing? http://www.adaic.com/whyada/ I think the buggest hurdle to overcome is the lemming mentality; even if you point out that a pointy-haired boss is thinking like a lemming, they are still happy about that because they want their programmers to be interchangeable (i.e. disposable). Some do not even understand the value of good education and tools for good software engineering. Also, before you convince pointy-haired bosses, you need to win the hearts and minds of developers. So, I would suggest you discuss your idea with some developers first, and not try to have managers force Ada on them. You will be better able to convince managers if several top developers back your suggestions. -- Ludovic Brenta.