Ada on old and simple systems

Ada on old and simple systems

[Noam Kloos]

How can I write or use ADA for systems like an 8088 XT or 80286 machine.
The Gnat systems runs on 32 machines only. 
Since Ada is around quite some time and being used for controlling
devices as missiles and small electronic devices I can't imagine a
generic missile is built around a Pentium processor.
There must be ways for example programming in Linux and specifying a
target and cross compiling for small and simple devices.

Noam Kloos.

Re: Ada on old and simple systems

[John Herro]

Noam Kloos <noam@3wis.nl> writes:
> How can I write or use Ada for systems
> like an 8088 XT or 80286 machine?

Believe it or not, I ran a once-validated Ada 83 compiler (Meridian
AdaVantage, ver. 3.0) on an 8088 POCKET-SIZED 7MHz computer with NO disks,
just 1MB of internal memory, and two 2MB memory cards that acted like
small "disks"!  The entire Ada compiler and a word processor (PC-Write),
configured as a crude "Ada language-sensitive editor," fit on one of the
memory cards!

However, when you're talking about "missiles and small electronic
devices," you definitely want a cross compiler.  The host computer can be
as large as you want; it generates output for the target processor, which
-- you're right -- needn't be a Pentium.

- John Herro
Software Innovations Technology
http://members.aol.com/AdaTutor
ftp://members.aol.com/AdaTutor

Re: Ada on old and simple systems

[Robert S. White]

In article <55o10f$nd5@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, johnherro@aol.com says...
...snip...

>However, when you're talking about "missiles and small electronic
>devices," you definitely want a cross compiler.  The host computer can be
>as large as you want; it generates output for the target processor, which
>-- you're right -- needn't be a Pentium.

...snip...

  Oops!  Tried to awswer two different threads with one post...

  If you are looking for a good Ada 83 compiler to write to simple x86
resource limited systems, try DDC Ada from Denmark (DDC-I in US).  Compile 
on Unix or VMS and target to the x86 system.  I know it works well.  
Engineers around here have been using it for avionics and other things 
for years.

_______________________________________________________________________
Robert S. White                    -- an embedded sys software engineer
WhiteR@CRPL.Cedar-Rapids.lib.IA.US --long/cheap alternate I-net address

Re: Ada on old and simple systems

[tmoran]

>How can I write or use ADA for systems like an 8088 XT or 80286 machine.
  My intro to Ada was with the $99 Janus compiler (www.rrsoftware.com)
running on, as well as targeted to, a 640K 286 system.  They still sell
Ada 83 systems targeted to DOS (or bare metal) 8086 on up.  The old
Meridian compiler presumably will do the same.  Don't know about
Alsys/Thomson.

Re: Ada on old and simple systems

[Robert Dewar]

Someone asks

">How can I write or use ADA for systems like an 8088 XT or 80286 machine."

Be sure to check out just how cheaply you can buy a 386 based machine, you
should be able to find a new or reconditioned one for not more than $100.

Re: Ada on old and simple systems

[Ed Falis]

tmoran@bix.com wrote:
> 
> >How can I write or use ADA for systems like an 8088 XT or 80286 machine.
>   My intro to Ada was with the $99 Janus compiler (www.rrsoftware.com)
> running on, as well as targeted to, a 640K 286 system.  They still sell
> Ada 83 systems targeted to DOS (or bare metal) 8086 on up.  The old
> Meridian compiler presumably will do the same.  Don't know about
> Alsys/Thomson.

We no longer offer this option for a dos hosted/targeted compiler.  The
old product was called FirstAda, which may be sitting around on a few
shelves.

We do still offer a cross development system hosted on DOS that can 
target 16 bit intel x86 processors of various flavors, as well as
16 bit DOS real mode applications, but it's a bit pricey for what
the original poster seemed to be after.

- Ed Falis
Thomson Software Products

Re: Ada on old and simple systems

[Stanley R. Allen]

tmoran@bix.com wrote:

> Meridian compiler presumably will do the same.

Can you still get Meridian?  Who sells it?  I thought
Rational bought it and killed it.

-- 
Stanley Allen
mailto:s_allen@hso.link.com

Re: Ada on old and simple systems

[Matthew Heaney]

In article <32827E2D.41C6@hso.link.com>, "Stanley R. Allen"
<s_allen@hso.link.com> wrote:

>tmoran@bix.com wrote:
>
>> Meridian compiler presumably will do the same.
>
>Can you still get Meridian?  Who sells it?  I thought
>Rational bought it and killed it.

Call DC Heath, 1-800-334-3284; ask for Meridian OpenAda, v4.1.4.  That's
the version I bought from them, and which runs on my Macintosh.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Matthew Heaney
Software Development Consultant
mheaney@ni.net
(818) 985-1271

Re: Ada on old and simple systems

[tmoran]

>Can you still get Meridian?  Who sells it?  I thought
>Rational bought it and killed it.
  I understand Heath sells it for $50 or something, but don't have
an address handy.  Try one of the Ada www sites.