Re: Does this model work ?

[Samuel Mize <smize@imagin.net>]

Jean-Marten Marchi <jmarten@ibm.net> wrote:
> On Tue, 18 May 1999 11:12:48 -0500, "Samuel T. Harris"
> <sam_harris@hso.link.com> wrote:
> 
>>An Ada to JVM compiler gives me a single product which can
>>be universally distributed (well, almost universally :) and
>>can even be run from a remote web site. The need for more
>>efficient implementations for specific customers does not
>>negate the need for universal distribution.
> 
> Why can't you have the best of both solutions, as long as you
> distribute source code ?

I have enough hassles keeping the compilers *I* want around, let
alone having to maintain a bunch of compilers on my machine for
languages I don't like and don't want, just in case a web page I
want to see has an applet written in COBOL.

Java byte-code is at an excellent abstraction level for distribution
of things that most people want to run without modifying.  The
developer can use whatever tool he wants, and then I can run it
without having that tool.  8000 compilers can all be targeted to the
same byte code format, and a consumer can run the results without
having any of them.

From the point of view of a consumer who wants to be able to modify
a program, source code is the way to go.

Best,
Sam Mize

-- 
Samuel Mize -- smize@imagin.net (home email) -- Team Ada
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