Re: No call for Ada (was Re: Announcing new scripting/prototyping language)

[Marin David Condic <nobody@noplace.com>]

Randy Brukardt wrote:
 >
 > Bullpucky. *Ada* (not some company or implementation) is a
 > general-purpose programming language. Nothing more and nothing less.
 > Embedded systems were never more that a few percent of RRS's
 > revenues; we've always marketed to general programming. "Ada" doesn't
 > identify markets; it's simply a thick book. Vendors do that, and no
 > one can or should tell them what to do.
 >
Not exactly true. Ada has always had a "Focus" if you will and the stuff
that grew up around it was aimed at a specific type of user. Sure, its
"General Purpose" and as such could be used for any type of app you
want. But if the "Focus" isn't on some arena, the folks in that arena
aren't going to see what they want and/or need to do their job. Java put
a focus on web-based apps with GUI interfaces. They built a bunch of
stuff around Java to make that sort of thing easy. There are a lot of
folks doing it and they picked Java over Ada (and other stuff) because
Java helped them get there job done better. Couldn't Ada do the same in
some other arena?



 > As far as the rest of your troll, your conclusion is that Ada needs a
 > $100 million markover -- which is clearly not going to happen. So why
 > do you bother hanging out here and waste the rest of our time with
 > it? You must do it just to get attention - I'd suggest that
 > kidnapping yourself would be more effective (a la Audrey Seiler).
 >
You can call it a troll if you like. You can put me in your kill-file if
you like. Its a free internet. But I'm not suggesting a $100m makeover, 
nor am I here because I want to waste your time. I'm one of the few 
remaining *customers* of Ada here providing a *customer's* view of what 
is right &/or wrong with the direction the language takes. I do it 
because I *like* Ada and wish it would succeed in a much larger market. 
I think refocusing on some new market or creating soem new leverage 
would stand a chance of getting the language a fresh look from other 
customers and a fresh start at building a market share. I think that 
*listening* to the (potential) customer and trying to provide what he 
wants is key to making it work.

But if you want to ascribe all sorts of motives to me that I don't have, 
go right ahead. Its your time to waste thinking about it and being angry 
about it. I've got better things to do with my time than be offended by 
it, so go believe what you want to believe.

MDC
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Marin David Condic
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