Re: Problem space (Re: Using Ada for device drivers? (Was: the Ada mandate...))

[maa@liacc.up.pt (Mário Amado Alves)]

> >... I told someone 
> >working on our (Ada) compiler: "No, in Ada you model the problem space, 
> >not the solution space."  I then excused myself for a minute to write it 
> >on my office whiteboard. (Robert)
> 
> I wish that statement will be placed on all major Ada sites, in boldface and
> at the top of their homepages. (Alexandre)

Astonishingly convergent independent statement: "the rich type system
of Ada lets the problem express itself as source code" (my paper on
Ada-Europe 2003).

I understand Alexandre's point about many problems not being defined
enough, but I submit *the* problem is right there: many authors will
tell you that the definition of the problem is an *essential* prior
step in the path for a solution. In artificial intelligence this is an
absolute tenet (cf. e.g. Russel & Norvig 2003 AIMO 2nd ed). I wish it
was so in software engineering also, and my (and surely Robert's)
point is that the use of Ada promotes that.

Cheers,
--MAA