Re: Suggestions for topics in an Ada course?

[Jerry Petrey <jdpetreyAPPENDIX@raytheon.com>]

adaworks@sbcglobal.net wrote:
> "John McCormick" <mccormick@cs.uni.edu> wrote in message 
> news:1194882790.326239.115730@22g2000hsm.googlegroups.com...
>>  I suggest that you avoid GUI or graphics programming.  The Ada tools are
>> simply not up to what they have seen in C++ and Java.
> 
> My students really like being able to do some elementary graphics
> with JEWL.   I make it clear to them that JEWL is not an industrial
> strength graphics library, but it is easy to use.   In fact, it is, for
> MS-Windows programming, easier to use than Java for the kind of
> simple programs they do.
> 
> I have been surprised by the programs my students have turned in
> using JEWL.  Consider, scientific calculators, encrypting text editors,
> two-paddle pong programs, specialized navigation calculators, among
> others.    I have found JEWL to be much better for this kind of thing
> than Ada.Text_IO.   In fact, John English should be nominated some
> time for a SigAda award for his JEWL contribution.
> 
> Richard Riehle 
> 
> 

Richard,

I agree completely about JEWL.  I have been using it for years to make all 
kinds of PC based simulators for various hardware devices (such as GPS 
simulators, RF Link simulators, etc.).  It is a great GUI tool for Ada.
I only wish John had not dropped its support to move on to JAVA but it is 
still very useful.

Look forward to your new Ada Distilled as well.  Another well done product for 
Ada!

I think teaching new Ada students a little graphics using something like JEWL 
is a great idea.  I would also recommend doing some type of hardware control 
application (like sending messages over the serial port to some device to get 
a hardware action to take place).  Years ago I taught some classes on Forth 
and I built a simple hardware traffic light simulator that the students could 
control over a PC serial port and it was very successful in allow them to try 
our various algorithms and see the tangible results. I'm sure John McCormick 
had the same success with his model train control.


Jerry
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