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=2.7 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_05,INVALID_MSGID, MSGID_RANDY autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,865e31ac5a1b553a X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: Robert Dewar Subject: Re: GNAT -vs- ObjectAda (was Re: where is the faq) Date: 1999/08/04 Message-ID: <7o8aq0$j7n$1@nnrp1.deja.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 508608503 References: <7mneah$g5j$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <3790b774.0@news.pacifier.com> <7mqtl0$jvr$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <7ni275$kfs$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <3IRn3.743$U4.54316@clnws01.we.mediaone.net> <7nsg90$iqi$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <_Fxp3.2745$U4.115180@clnws01.we.mediaone.net> X-Http-Proxy: 1.0 x35.deja.com:80 (Squid/1.1.22) for client 205.232.38.14 Organization: Deja.com - Share what you know. Learn what you don't. X-Article-Creation-Date: Wed Aug 04 03:07:49 1999 GMT X-MyDeja-Info: XMYDJUIDrobert_dewar Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada X-Http-User-Agent: Mozilla/4.04 [en] (OS/2; I) Date: 1999-08-04T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: In article <_Fxp3.2745$U4.115180@clnws01.we.mediaone.net>, pascmartin@mail.earthlink.net (Pascal F. Martin) wrote: > My company, which is providing centralized train control > system (no Ada: all C, C++ and Tcl), sometime must start user > training with a dumbed down course on "what is a mouse, how to > move it and what is this strange arrow on the TV set". These > persons then will control complete mass transit systems from > their multihead PCs. No, there is never a situation in which you "must" follow this very unwise procedure which is designed to produce disasters. The idea that you can educate people to be effective programmers in this way is a manager's fantasy. You may get people to the point where they can write somewhat-working code, but that's about it. An analogous statement would be something like "our company is in the business of putting on piano recitals in major concert halls. But most typical folks don't know know anything about music. Sometimes we must start training concert pianists with dumbed down courses that start out at the level of "what is the difference between a white key and a black key on the piano". Yes, you might be able to train people who could play the notes more or less correctly, but you will not get competent musicians this way. Proper training is an essential for quality code. Training involves MUCH more than just learning to code in some computer language. In particular, programmers need an introduction to the notions of formal reasoning, especially if they are going to be working in safety critical real time areas. Robert Dewar Ada Core Technologies Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don't.