Re: gnat GPL 2010 or gcc/ada?

[Georg Bauhaus <rm.dash-bauhaus@futureapps.de>]

On 04.03.11 16:50, Nasser M. Abbasi wrote:
> Basic question: I've always been confused about which "Ada" to use.
> 
> If one wants to write some program in Ada for school,
> and want to use Ada. Should one download gcc which has
> Ada in it, or download gnat GPL 2010?

GNAT GPL 2010 is an easy install for ubiquitous platforms,
tested and checked before its release, by AdaCore.
Good for Free Software work, or for learning, or just
to enjoy Ada programming.

If you have Debian GNU/Linux, that's easy, too,
since its GNAT has been maintained well there for years.
With libraries and an Ada policy for the system.

With just gcc on Windows or Mac, things can be more difficult.
Last time I tried on Windows, I tried MingW; i.e. you get
half of Unix in addition to just gcc.  On a Mac there
are some pre-built editions (one for older Macs); a bit
tricky IIRC.

> Can someone, using simple words, explain which one of
> the above should one install? For example, gnatmake comes
> with both gcc/ada and gnat GPL 2010?  Should one use gnatmake
> or the new gpl configuration files to build an Ada program?

(That would be GPR configuration files?)  You can use
gnatmake with -Pyourprojectfile if you like.
The User's Guide explains this quite well; I found reading the
first chapters time well spent.