Re: GNAT Support Costs

[Richard D Riehle <laoXhai@ix.netcom.com>]

In article <x7vzotxuhdv.fsf@pogner.demon.co.uk>,
	Simon Wright <simon@pogner.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>Robert Kirkbride <rob@laptop.demon.co.uk> writes:
>> Does anyone have any recommendations of cheaper compilers that cater
>> for small projects?
>
>Aonix, perhaps?

Who knows how long Aonix will be viable for Ada compilers. They just
fired most of the people with any experience in Ada and closed down
the Burlington office where all the Wintel work is done.  Word is
that Aonix even fired their president and others from the old Ada
group.  So, "Aonix, perhaps," but I would not count on it.

Low-cost compilers?  Only GNAT is completed with all the libaries.
Janus from RR Software is pretty good if you can live without some
of the libraries and a few features such as requeue, ATC, and other
seldom-used features. Stoneybrook Software makes the Ada compiler
being used for Sage-ST  (formerly AdaSage), and it produces pretty
efficient code.  Stoneybrook Ada, like Janus, is missing some of
the Ada 95 features.  Rational apparently decided not to upgrade
Meridian to Ada 95.  Maybe Averstar will decide to package its Ada
compiler and sell it in shrinkwrap form if Aonix gets out of the 
Ada business.  

Ada compiler publishing is an expensive business. ACT is discovering
the economics of it and responding appropriately.  In fact, any 
company that relies on compilers for its revenue is likely to find 
the markeplace small.  Borland found out about that before it went
through its restructuring.  Ada is a very tiny marketplace.  To make
money in software one can either raise prices to meet the small 
demand for product or have a product (such as Quicken) for which the
demand is so high the unit price can be small.  It is very difficult
to fault ACT for its pricing given the small marketplace demanding a
high quality product.  Now if Ada were as popular as Java or C++ ...

Richard Riehle
richard@adaworks.com