* README: HOW TO GET HELP (Welcome, Students!)
@ 1997-06-19 0:00 Samuel Mize
0 siblings, 0 replies; 2+ messages in thread
From: Samuel Mize @ 1997-06-19 0:00 UTC (permalink / raw)
REVISED 19 Jun 97: improved mention of ACM web sites
WELCOME!
--------
Welcome to comp.lang.ada! Ideas, opinions and appropriate questions
are always welcome.
Here are some suggestions. They will help you get the best help you can.
These aren't iron rules enforced by some Net Police Force. However, if you
ignore them, you may get angry email instead of help.
I'll state them, then explain them. After that I've listed some online
resources you can use to help yourself.
THE "RULES":
------------
1. Don't ask us to write your code.
2. Use a subject line that says what you are asking about.
3. For basic language or how-to questions, comp.lang.ada helps those
who help themselves. Try to use other resources first.
4. Tell us whether you're using Ada 83 or Ada 95.
5. Provide a valid email address for replies.
6. The clearer your question, the clearer the answer.
DETAILED SUGGESTIONS:
---------------------
1. Don't ask us to write your code.
We won't do your homework. Someone will probably email your
request to your teacher.
However, it's fair to ask where to find examples of a particular
language feature, which you can study. For Ada 83, check the
repositories (below) before posting a request.
2. Use a subject line that says what you are asking about.
"HELP on protected types" would be appropriate. "question" or
"HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" are not.
3. For basic language or how-to questions, comp.lang.ada helps those
who help themselves. Try to use other resources first.
Check your books and teachers before asking here. Also, check out
the net resources (including online tutorials!) listed below. If
self-teaching, get a textbook or tutorial.
If you've tried, mention that in your message. For instance,
"This seems basic but my professor can't explain it" or "I'm in
an isolated hut on Papua New Guinea and have nobody else to ask."
This shows us that you're not just too lazy to do your own work.
Asking on comp.lang.ada is your last resort, not your first.
Imagine the flood of message traffic if every CS/Ada student asked
just one basic question a week!
4. Tell us whether you're using Ada 83 or Ada 95.
If you're asking about linking problems or what libraries are
available, tell us what compiler and operating system you're using.
If you don't know, you don't know enough about what you're doing
to post a question. Check with your teacher, read the compiler
documents, read the online tutorials, get hold of a textbook.
5. Provide a valid email address for replies.
Many people will email you a helpful note, but won't post it to
avoid cluttering the newsgroup. If you have no email address, they
just won't write. If you don't have email, say so.
6. The clearer your question, the clearer the answer.
For coding questions, show one SMALL code snippet. If something
doesn't work, TELL US WHAT IT FAILS TO DO:
- does it refuse to compile? (With what message?)
- does it die when run? (What line exactly? What exception?)
- does it not do what you expect? (What did you expect?)
We aren't at your school, let alone in your class, and we can't
read your mind. Tell us what you're trying to do, and exactly
what's blocking you.
ONLINE RESOURCES:
-----------------
http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC
Ada Information Clearing House. "...Ada news, programming
guidelines, tools, source-code, policy, and educational
opportunities!" Includes:
http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC/docs/flyers/95cplus.shtml
Compares Ada to C++
http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC/standards/
Standards and guidelines, including:
- Ada 95 Language Reference Manual
- Rationale for the Ada 95 Standard
- Ada 95 Quality and Style: Guidelines for Professional Programmers
and a WHOLE LOT more.
If you only have ftp (no web), connect to sw-eng.falls-church.va.us
and log on as "anonymous" giving your email address as a password.
http://www.adahome.com
Adahome is a great online resource for Ada information. Has links
for compilers and tools (including free or cheap compilers), a job
center, and a "Discovery" section for learning about Ada. Includes:
http://www.adahome.com/rm95/
A hypertext version of the Ada 95 reference manual
http://www.adahome.com/Discover/
The first page of the "Discovery" section, which includes
tutorials, book reviews, CODE EXAMPLES, and other information
about Ada.
http://www.adahome.com/Tutorials/Lovelace/lovelace.html
The "Lovelace" online Ada tutorial
Both of these sites have pointers to repositories full of Ada code
you can study and reuse (mostly Ada 83 at present).
http://www.acm.org/sigada
The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) is an excellent
resource for students and professionals, and their SIGAda (Special
Interest Group for Ada) is quite active. This is their home web
page. It includes a lot of information about currently available
tools and currently active vendors and organizations. It also has
easy-access pointers to some useful resources at other sites (it may
save you some time digging). It includes:
http://www.acm.org/sigada/education
This is an entry point designed and organized for students,
with fast pointers to many of the educational resources of
the other sites.
FINALLY:
--------
Best wishes and good luck! We hope you find using Ada as exciting
an adventure as we do.
--
Samuel Mize -- smize@imagin.net -- Team Ada
(personal net account)
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 2+ messages in thread
* README: HOW TO GET HELP (Welcome, students!)
@ 1997-09-25 0:00 Samuel Mize
0 siblings, 0 replies; 2+ messages in thread
From: Samuel Mize @ 1997-09-25 0:00 UTC (permalink / raw)
Last revised 25 Sep 97 (added OS/compiler to short form of rule 4)
WELCOME!
--------
Welcome to comp.lang.ada! Ideas, opinions and appropriate questions
are always welcome.
Here are some suggestions. They will help you get the best help you can.
These aren't iron rules enforced by some Net Police Force. However, if you
ignore them, you may get angry email instead of help.
I'll state them, then explain them. After that I've listed some online
resources you can use to help yourself.
THE "RULES":
------------
1. Don't ask us to write your code.
2. Use a subject line that says what you are asking about.
3. For basic language or how-to questions, comp.lang.ada helps those
who help themselves. Try to use other resources first.
4. Tell us whether you're using Ada 83 or Ada 95, and what compiler
and operating system.
5. Provide a valid email address for replies.
6. The clearer your question, the clearer the answer.
DETAILED SUGGESTIONS:
---------------------
1. Don't ask us to write your code.
We won't do your homework. Someone will probably email your
request to your teacher.
However, it's fair to ask where to find examples of a particular
language feature, which you can study. For Ada 83, check the
repositories (below) before posting a request.
2. Use a subject line that says what you are asking about.
"HELP on protected types" would be appropriate. "question" or
"HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" are not.
3. For basic language or how-to questions, comp.lang.ada helps those
who help themselves. Try to use other resources first.
Check your books and teachers before asking here. Also, check out
the net resources (including online tutorials!) listed below. If
self-teaching, get a textbook or tutorial.
If you've tried, mention that in your message. For instance,
"This seems basic but my professor can't explain it" or "I'm in
an isolated hut on Papua New Guinea and have nobody else to ask."
This shows us that you're not just too lazy to do your own work.
Asking on comp.lang.ada is your last resort, not your first.
Imagine the flood of message traffic if every CS/Ada student asked
just one basic question a week!
4. Tell us whether you're using Ada 83 or Ada 95, and what compiler
and operating system.
If you don't know, you don't know enough about what you're doing
to post a question. Check with your teacher, read the compiler
documents, read the online tutorials, get hold of a textbook.
5. Provide a valid email address for replies.
Many people will email you a helpful note, but won't post it to
avoid cluttering the newsgroup. If you have no email address, they
just won't write. If you don't have email, say so.
6. The clearer your question, the clearer the answer.
For coding questions, show one SMALL code snippet. If something
doesn't work, TELL US WHAT IT FAILS TO DO:
- does it refuse to compile? (With what message?)
- does it die when run? (What line exactly? What exception?)
- does it not do what you expect? (What did you expect?)
We aren't at your school, let alone in your class, and we can't
read your mind. Tell us what you're trying to do, and exactly
what's blocking you.
ONLINE RESOURCES:
-----------------
http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC
Ada Information Clearing House. "...Ada news, programming
guidelines, tools, source-code, policy, and educational
opportunities!" Includes:
http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC/docs/flyers/95cplus.shtml
Compares Ada to C++
http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC/standards/
Standards and guidelines, including:
- Ada 95 Language Reference Manual
- Rationale for the Ada 95 Standard
- Ada 95 Quality and Style: Guidelines for Professional Programmers
and a WHOLE LOT more.
If you only have ftp (no web), connect to sw-eng.falls-church.va.us
and log on as "anonymous" giving your email address as a password.
http://www.adahome.com
Adahome is a great online resource for Ada information. Has links
for compilers and tools (including free or cheap compilers), a job
center, and a "Discovery" section for learning about Ada. Includes:
http://www.adahome.com/rm95/
A hypertext version of the Ada 95 reference manual
http://www.adahome.com/Discover/
The first page of the "Discovery" section, which includes
tutorials, book reviews, CODE EXAMPLES, and other information
about Ada.
http://www.adahome.com/Tutorials/Lovelace/lovelace.html
The "Lovelace" online Ada tutorial
Both of these sites have pointers to repositories full of Ada code
you can study and reuse (mostly Ada 83 at present).
http://www.acm.org/sigada
The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) is an excellent
resource for students and professionals, and their SIGAda (Special
Interest Group for Ada) is quite active. This is their home web
page. It includes a lot of information about currently available
tools and currently active vendors and organizations. It also has
easy-access pointers to some useful resources at other sites (it may
save you some time digging). It includes:
http://www.acm.org/sigada/education
This is an entry point designed and organized for students,
with fast pointers to many of the educational resources of
the other sites.
FINALLY:
--------
Best wishes and good luck! We hope you find using Ada as exciting
an adventure as we do.
--
Samuel Mize -- smize@imagin.net -- Team Ada
(personal net account)
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