Validation list, Ada for the Space Station, IBM

[larry%vlsidc@JPL-VLSI.ARPA]

Isn't the VALIDATED-COMPILERS.HLP file out of date?  Seems to me that SofTech 
just validated their optimized ALS compiler.  And I got a notice in the mail a 
couple of weeks ago from Flexible Computer Corp that they now offer an Ada 
compiler for their Flex/32 computer.  (The Flex/32 sounds perfect for Ada: 
it's an NS32032-based multicomputer system that incorporates both distributed 
and multiprocessor parallelism.)

By the way, it's now official that Ada will be the software-development 
language for the Space Station.  What hasn't been determined is what other 
languages will be used, and for what.  That will be hashed out over the next 
year or two, partly as a result of some 55 research projects under way close 
to or connected with Houston's Johnson Space Center.  Whatever else is used, 
however, Ada is to be considered first; a waiver will probably be required for 
any non-Ada use.

Also interesting is a declaration made by IBM as part of a report recommending 
Ada as the primary language.  They have "two large Ada projects" and will be 
giving Ada "substantial" support in the future.  Typically, that's all they 
would say.  Not that this is much of a surprise, considering the number of IBM 
people in the Ada movement (Jean Sammett and Gerry Fisher come immediately to 
mind), but it's the first official written word I've seen on the subject from 
IBM.
                                    Larry @ jpl-vlsi