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=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,bc1361a952ec75ca X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-07-30 11:41:02 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!newsfeed.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!newsfeeds.belnet.be!news.belnet.be!newsfeed00.sul.t-online.de!newsmm00.sul.t-online.com!t-online.de!news.t-online.com!not-for-mail From: Stefan Nobis Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: How to make Ada a dominant language Date: 30 Jul 2001 20:33:00 +0200 Organization: ESN - EDV-Beratung, Sicherheit, Netzbetreuung Message-ID: <87snfe9sir.fsf@520075220525-0001.dialin.t-online.de> References: <3B6555ED.9B0B0420@sneakemail.com> <9k3l9r$10i2$1@pa.aaanet.ru> <3B656345.64AB603A@sneakemail.com> <9k3oa1$2qg8$1@pa.aaanet.ru> <3B657715.7EC592D9@sneakemail.com> <3B6588FC.6D40C443@sneakemail.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: news.t-online.com 996518413 00 16027 S4VnSDMbSNAwqI 010730 18:40:13 X-Complaints-To: abuse@t-online.com X-Sender: 520075220525-0001@t-dialin.net Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:10780 Date: 2001-07-30T20:33:00+02:00 List-Id: Russ Paielli <18k11tm001@sneakemail.com> writes: > No, language selection is not made DIRECTLY on the basis of the symbols > used in the syntax. But languages ARE often selected on the basis of > their POPULARITY. Popularity breeds more popularity, in a sort of > positive feedback mechanism. But where does the initial popularity come > from? How do languages "catch on"? I suggest it has a lot to do with how > much programmers like the language, and good programmers like a clean, > elegant syntax that is uncluttered with a bunch of extraneous crap. That > is why Python is perhaps more popular than Ada even though it has been > around only a fraction of the time. Just look at C and Perl. Both are much more popular and much more widley used than Python but both have a very bad syntax (and some very bad semantics). Even Javas syntax isn't very clear and readable, but even Java is more popular than Python. So, obviously, syntax is not the imporant part in choosing a language. There are many very good languages in different aspects, think of OCAML, Mozart/OZ, Common Lisp, Ruby,... Maybe syntax should be more important, but today it is not, so changing Ada's syntax would gain just nothing. > In the software environment I work in, nobody knows or cares about Ada. > Oh, they know it exists, but that's about all they know. If headlines > came out about Ada switching directions, it would be the best thing that > ever happened to Ada. You will really tell me, if Ada changes ":=" to "=", your company will switch project languages? Really? If a software developer chooses a language for his project just because of such syntax details, i hope, i have never to use his software! -- Until the next mail..., Stefan.