Re: Linux Kernel in Ada. Repost

[Mich@western_world_somehwere]

In article <370F025C.4C821FEC@online.no>, "Tarjei says...
 
>bill_@nospam wrote:
>
>> In article <7elrg5$egk2@ftp.kvaerner.com>, "Tarjei says...
>> >
>>
>> >It would be more useful to write useful utilities for Linux in Ada or extend
>> >Linux with Ada software.
>> >
>>

>> It is kind'a hard to write Linux or Unix stuff in Ada, becuase the Posix
>> Ada binding do not seem to work well or even documented. The Posix Ada
>> bindings for linux (there is now even an RPM for these for Linux!) do not
>> have an API document to tell one how to use them to write the sort of stuff
>> you are talking about.
>>
>


>If you don't like what is there, make your own. In order to get a decent result
>one should probably read one of W. Rickard Stevens programming books. He uses C,
>but there should be no problem translating to Ada.
>
>Regardless of what one does it is neccessary to understand the problem domain in
>order to provide a sensible solution.
>

Oh PLEASE !!
 
While Ada programmers wasting their time each writing the same binding
to Unix (which they need to even start writing the real stuff to use 
the binding) the world is passing them on the fast track.

Do you think it is trivial to write a fully working Ada posix binding?
by saying just go read a book to do it, shows that you really do not
know what is involved here. Have a look at the current Ada binding posix
code just to see what is there. Remember, you have to implement all
the posix standard, not just 5 easy little functions.

Do you think those Java API's that Sun with its hundreds of programmers
working for years on them, is something one person can just go build
if they don't like what is not out there?

Ada's problem is that there is no central group that handles it as far as
devloping API's, libraries, etc.. and to coordinates things. This central
group can then organize who is working on what, to eliminate waste and
duplication. Something like goes on in the Linux world to some extent.

Java has Sun. VB and VC++ has MS. Ada used to have the defense department,
but it divorsed it after more than 20 years difficult marriage. 
(btw, I think the Linux ALT group are doing a great job, may be they
can drive more Ada projects like this one, and people will help them). 

I have nothing against the cowboy mentaility of, if you don't like something,
go re-write it, sure, this works for small stuff, but for large complicated
stuff, be real, it will not work.  
 
Ok, I don't like windows, I am going now to go rewrite it.

Mich.