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-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,3a4656a5edc0dab4 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public Path: controlnews3.google.com!news1.google.com!news.glorb.com!prodigy.com!atl-c02.usenetserver.com!c03.atl99!c01.usenetserver.com!news.usenetserver.com!elnk-atl-nf1!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net.POSTED!d9c68f36!not-for-mail Message-ID: <40ADEA52.2090500@noplace.com> From: Marin David Condic User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.0.1) Gecko/20020823 Netscape/7.0 (OEM-HPQ-PRS1C03) X-Accept-Language: en-us, en MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Ada used in General Aviation (GA) applications? References: <40A218DD.9090903@noplace.com> <40A36368.7050104@noplace.com> <40A8AF7C.5000608@noplace.com> <40A9FBD4.40707@noplace.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Date: Fri, 21 May 2004 11:39:24 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 165.247.66.15 X-Complaints-To: abuse@earthlink.net X-Trace: newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net 1085139564 165.247.66.15 (Fri, 21 May 2004 04:39:24 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 21 May 2004 04:39:24 PDT Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net Xref: controlnews3.google.com comp.lang.ada:740 Date: 2004-05-21T11:39:24+00:00 List-Id: Georg Bauhaus wrote: > > Do you mean "at no cost"? (which is close to what Microsoft is doing with > compilers and libraries for the wuold-be non-commercial users, > and certainly what they are doing with mediaplayer (lamp for free, > you can buy oil) > Clearly, they almost give away compilers because they want people to develop apps for their OS and thus sell more OS's to the general public. Compilers are a lot of work and don't have (proportionally) many customers. OS's are something every computer needs. So the lesson ought to be "Develop the compiler in order to develop something of more general usefulness" Perhaps not down to the consumer level, but at least some level where the end market is bigger than the people who develop software. A really good example: Develop the compiler to target some embedded processor board/kit. Sell the embedded computers for profit and view the compiler as a necessary expenditure. One of the general complaints about Ada in the embedded world has always been "Even if it is terrific, I can't get it with the embedded machine I'm using..." Well, sell them the embedded machine! ;-) That's not the only way to go, but it is an example of the compiler being a value-added product that helps you make enough money to keep the compiler work alive. > > Is there noone willing to pay smaller sums for bug fixing and enhancements? > Probably, but is it enough to keep the vendor in business? People are willing to pay Microsoft for MSVC++ and for quarterly updates, but I'll bet it still is a "loss-leader" that is subsidized by Microsoft in order to keep the OS sales going. The trick here is to say "I've got to find a larger market for my goods and services in order to keep the business afloat..." The generalized market of "software developers" may be willing to spend some money, but are there enough of them to keep a dozen different languages and hundreds of different vendors in business? The prices are relatively low because the supply exceeds the demand and Ada is fighting for a slice of that pie against larger competitors. Can Ada continue to be a niche player in a not-all-that-profitable market? It either needs a larger slice of that market or the vendors have to find a way to branch out. Let's cogitate here a second.... Microsoft sells compilers in order to sell operating systems... Ada has a compiler..... What if Ada had an operating system..... Hmmmmm....... Monkey see, Monkey do? :-) MDC -- ====================================================================== Marin David Condic I work for: http://www.belcan.com/ My project is: http://www.jsf.mil/NSFrames.htm Send Replies To: m o d c @ a m o g c n i c . r "Face it ladies, its not the dress that makes you look fat. Its the FAT that makes you look fat." -- Al Bundy ======================================================================