Re: "Subtract C, add Ada"

[jmartin@oahu.cs.ucla.edu (Jay Martin)]

mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michael Feldman) writes:

>In article <D1wKJn.HAu@seas.ucla.edu>,
>Jay M. Martin <jaym@breeze.seas.ucla.edu> wrote:
>>
>>Why doesn't he publish his results?  Such data points need to be
>>collected in journals even though they may not be overwhelming 
>>evidence by themselves.  With enough data points "facts" about
>>the efficiency of different methods of software development can
>>be derived.  Unfortunately, I have never seen the Computer Science
>>community do this .  Jay

>Actually, he published it twice. One paper was in TRI-Ada '91, which
>got the Best Paper award in that conference; the other was in Communications
>of the ACM, in the Ada section of the November 1992 issue.

>You really ought to check your facts before making these generalizations.
>Maybe _ask_ first whether John published anything on this. He's also
>discussed it in numerous panels in both SIGCSE and SIGAda circles.

>Mike Feldman

I read the abstracts to these papers before I posted, there is not
one peep about the relative efficiency between C and Ada which
should be the central topic of discussion in my opinion.
Here are the abs:
1. CONFERENCE PAPER
   McCormick, J.W.
     Using a model railroad to teach Ada and software engineering.
   IN:  TRI-Ada '91 Proceedings. (TRI-Ada '91 Proceedings, San Jose, CA, USA,
   21-25 Oct. 1991). New York, NY, USA: ACM, 1991. p. 511-14.
     Pub type:  Practical.

Abstract: This paper describes a successful course for teaching the development
     of Ada software systems. A computer controlled model railroad provides
     realistic small problems that give students experience with Ada's unique
     aspects and larger problems that require software engineering skills.

3. McCormick, J.W.
     A model railroad for Ada and software engineering.
   Communications of the ACM, Nov. 1992, vol.35, (no.11):68-70.
     Pub type:  Practical.

Abstract: The Computer Science Department at SUNY Plattsburgh has developed a
     study option in computer controlled systems. This study option was created
     especially for undergraduate students interested in the engineering of
     embedded and real-time software systems. Besides the core courses required
     in all study options, students in the computer controlled systems study
     option takes courses in physics (including electronics), additional
     courses in continuous mathematics and a selection of upper division
     computer science courses. The capstone course in the computer controlled
     systems option is real-time systems. As part of the real-time systems
     course, students work in teams to develop Ada software to control a model
     railroad. The computer-controlled model railroad is a successful tool for
     teaching the development of Ada software systems to undergraduate
     students. Because of their interest in writing software to control trains,
     students are highly motivated to learn Ada. The railroad is an excellent
     platform for demonstrating Ada's capabilities. In particular, Ada's
     tasking, exception handling and hardware-dependent features are utilized
     frequently by students writing railroad control software.

5. CONFERENCE PAPER
   McCormick, J.W.
     A laboratory for teaching the development of real-time software systems.
     (22nd SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, San
     Antonio, TX, USA, 7-8 March 1991).
   SIGCSE Bulletin, March 1991, vol.23, (no.1):260-4.
     Pub type:  Practical.

Abstract: A major problem with teaching real-time software development to
     undergraduate students is finding suitable equipment for assignments and
     projects. Such equipment must provide problems that are exciting,
     challenging, cover a broad range of real-time topics, and yet have
     solutions that can be completed within the time constraints of the
     semester. The paper describes a successful laboratory for an undergraduate
     course in real-time software development based on a computer controlled
     model railroad.


Where is C sucks! Ada rules!   I reiterate, I have never seen (recent)
a study done by Computer Science Researchers on the relative efficiency
of software tools.  Jay