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,bc1361a952ec75ca X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-07-31 19:35:15 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!newsfeed.google.com!postnews1.google.com!not-for-mail From: mjsilva@jps.net (Mike Silva) Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: How to make Ada a dominant language Date: 31 Jul 2001 19:35:15 -0700 Organization: http://groups.google.com/ Message-ID: <5267be60.0107311835.217a59ca@posting.google.com> References: NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.239.210.46 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Trace: posting.google.com 996633315 7844 127.0.0.1 (1 Aug 2001 02:35:15 GMT) X-Complaints-To: groups-abuse@google.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Aug 2001 02:35:15 GMT Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:10908 Date: 2001-08-01T02:35:15+00:00 List-Id: 18k11tm001@sneakemail.com (Russ) wrote in message news:... > The Ada programming language is based on an excellent fundamental > design, but it is much less popular than it could be because it has an > awkward, "klunky" syntax. I propose to clean up the syntax by > borrowing from Python. Python is very popular high level "scripting" > language with a reputation for promoting clean, clear code. The new > syntax could be translated into Ada95 syntax with a relatively simple > "preprocessor," so existing compilers could still be used, old code > would continue to work, and programmers could continue to use the old > syntax if they wish. > > Here are the syntax changes I propose: Alright, personal testimony time... I discovered Ada a few years ago, coming from two decades of C and later C++. It never occurred to me that Ada should look like C (or Python, or ???), and I don't understand why some people make such an issue about it. I don't find the syntax awkward or klunky at all. I find that I enjoy reading Ada source code, kind of like looking at the innards of a fine machine. Ada source has a nice flow to it -- it doesn't cram too much symbolic information into too little space. When I go back to some well-packed C source I get annoyed that I have to concentrate so much harder to pick apart the pieces. In the end it takes me more time to comprehend the fewer characters. (OK, I do still miss [], but it's a very small price indeed.) All this concern about typing a few extra characters makes no sense to me. My guess is that it's just part of the larger "no time to think, gotta start coding!" mentality of so many programmers (I know, I've still not completely shaken the virus myself). Sometimes I think we'd have a great boost in software quality if we'd just force programmers to type only with their index fingers. Mike