Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[johannes falcone]

:)

I remember something about a book by goodman? but forget is its old like from 2006 or is that current?

Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[Dan'l Miller]

Where is your starting point?  Do you already know, say, Python, C++, Java, or C# very well?  If so, then you have enough background to jump into John Barnes's _Programming in Ada 2005_, although I consider his style of wording just a bit stiff, but it is hands down the most revealing comprehensive textbook on Ada (ignoring the _Annotated Ada 2005 Reference Manual_ and _Ada 2005 Rationale_, keeping the focus on Ada 2005 throughout).  The Ada 2005 AARM & Rationale are available for free at http://www.adaic.org/ada-resources/standards/ada05. The Ada 2012 AARM & Rationale are available for free at http://www.ada-auth.org/standards/ada12.html.

If your starting point is C without any OO, then Simon Johnston's _Ada95 for C and C++ Programmers_ might be a good starting point to convert your current knowledge.  I have read all of the aforementioned books over the years, but here is one at 900 pages & focused on OO in Ada2005 that looks promising that I have not read:  Nell Dale's & John McCormick's _Ada Plus Data Structures: An Object-Oriented Approach_.

Re: Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[jmccormick]

I cannot recommend my book "Ada Plus Data Structures" for learning Ada.  It is targeted at CS2 (2nd course in computer science) students.  It assumes that you already know the control structures and some of Ada's type model.  It then teaches the basic data structures.  Only a brief introduction to Ada's OO capabilities.  Really a beginning level book best paired with my introductory book "Programming and Problem Solving with Ada".

Since I have damned one of my books, I will recommend another that includes an introduction to Ada for folks who have skills in other programming languages.

Building Parallel, Embedded, and Real-Time Applications with Ada
McCormick, Singhoff, and Hugues
Cambridge Press, 2011

Check http://www.embedded.com/electronics-blogs/break-points/4411676/A-new-Embedded-Ada-book for a review by Jack Ganssle. 

John

Re: Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[Ludovic Brenta]

Others have aptly replied to your language question but I sense another
question in your "assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here".  Namely: "how to
I install an Ada compiler and assorted development tools on OpenBSD
5.4"?

Well, I'm afraid you won't like the answer, which is, basically: you
don't.  John Marino had a word about that at FOSDEM, where he said he'd
done all the ground work to get GNAT ported to OpenBSD, but the OpenBSD
people were not interested enough to spend the time and commit his
contribution into the official ports tree.

In contrast, some other distributions have excellent, built-in support
for Ada: Debian, FreeBSD and Dragonlace are currently the best.  (Debian
includes Debian GNU/kFreeBSD, of course, if you're allergic to the Linux
kernel).

More details in the _Ada Programming_ wikibook, which, by the way, could
also be a way for you to learn the language:
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Ada_Programming/Installing

-- 
Ludovic Brenta.

Re: Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[rriehle]

On Thursday, February 20, 2014 3:00:50 AM UTC-8, johannes falcone wrote:
> :)
> 
> 
> 
> I remember something about a book by goodman? but forget is its old like from 2006 or is that current?

Reminder.  My book, Ada Distilled, is available on-line.  It is designed to help someone who already can program in another language learn how to program in Ada.

All the examples are fully coded. They will compile.  They will execute.  It is not completely ready for Ada 2012, but Ed Colbert is working on updating it for the new 2012 standard.

You can download Ada Distilled free from several sits.

Richard Riehle

Re: Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[Randy Brukardt]

<rriehle@itu.edu> wrote in message 
news:9f386a7f-6e7d-464e-b6e2-4021a03f6d8a@googlegroups.com...
> On Thursday, February 20, 2014 3:00:50 AM UTC-8, johannes falcone wrote:
...
> You can download Ada Distilled free from several sits.

Including http://www.adaic.org/learn/materials/, of course. (Bringing this 
discussion full circle). The direct link is 
http://www.adaic.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Ada-Distilled-24-January-2011-Ada-2005-Version.pdf, 
but I'd normally suggest going through the index page in case it gets moved 
in the future.

Good hear from you again. It's good to know that Ada Distilled is being 
updated for Ada 2012.

                       Randy Brukardt, AdaIC webmaster 

Re: Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[Tero Koskinen]

20.2.2014 22:46, Ludovic Brenta wrote:
> Others have aptly replied to your language question but I sense another
> question in your "assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here".  Namely: "how to
> I install an Ada compiler and assorted development tools on OpenBSD
> 5.4"?
>

OpenBSD has gnat. Just type
   pkg_add gnat-4.8.1p1
or
   pkg_add gnat-4.6.4p1

and you will have mostly working gnat in your system.

Yours,
  Tero

Re: Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[Jerry]

On Thursday, February 20, 2014 4:00:50 AM UTC-7, johannes falcone wrote:
> :)
> I remember something about a book by goodman? but forget is its old like from 2006 or is that current?

My standard reply to this question is Norman H. Cohen's Ada as a Second Language. I have the second edition which is for the 95 standard. I wish it would be udpated for newer Ada's but that's not happening. I find his exposition to be outstanding, and he doesn't weigh the book down with lengthy examples or a running book-lengh example, only short, to-the-point examples.

Amazon lists it new for $595.15 to $3,295.38 (U.S.) or used at $84.85. I'd say used would be your best buy. 8^)

Jerry

Re: Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[adambeneschan]

On Friday, February 21, 2014 3:22:24 PM UTC-8, Jerry wrote:

> My standard reply to this question is Norman H. Cohen's Ada as a Second Language. I have the second edition which is for the 95 standard. I wish it would be udpated for newer Ada's but that's not happening. I find his exposition to be outstanding, and he doesn't weigh the book down with lengthy examples or a running book-lengh example, only short, to-the-point examples.
> 
> 
> 
> Amazon lists it new for $595.15 to $3,295.38 (U.S.) or used at $84.85. I'd say used would be your best buy. 8^)

Amazon pricing is one of those mysteries of the universe no one can understand.  For a good laugh, read this: 
http://www.michaeleisen.org/blog/?p=358

                               -- Adam

Re: Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[GianLuigi Piacentini]

Dan'l Miller wrote:

> Where is your starting point?  Do you already know, say, Python, C++,
> Java, or C# very well?  If so, then you have enough background to jump
> into John Barnes's _Programming in Ada 2005_, although I consider his
> style of wording just a bit stiff, but it is hands down the most revealing
> comprehensive textbook on Ada (ignoring the _Annotated Ada 2005 Reference
> Manual_ and _Ada 2005 Rationale_, keeping the focus on Ada 2005
> throughout).  The Ada 2005 AARM & Rationale are available for free at
> http://www.adaic.org/ada-resources/standards/ada05. The Ada 2012 AARM &
> Rationale are available for free at
> http://www.ada-auth.org/standards/ada12.html.
> 
> If your starting point is C without any OO, then Simon Johnston's _Ada95
> for C and C++ Programmers_ might be a good starting point to convert your
> current knowledge.  I have read all of the aforementioned books over the
> years, but here is one at 900 pages & focused on OO in Ada2005 that looks
> promising that I have not read:  Nell Dale's & John McCormick's _Ada Plus
> Data Structures: An Object-Oriented Approach_.

What if starting point is Fortran95 ?

Thanks in advance

Gigi

Re: Best book to learn ada? assuming openbsd 5.4 amd64 box here

[Jeffrey Carter]

On 02/23/2014 11:15 AM, GianLuigi Piacentini wrote:
>
> What if starting point is Fortran95 ?

I would second the recommendation of /Ada Distilled/.

-- 
Jeff Carter
"I snapped my chin down onto some guy's fist and
hit another one in the knee with my nose."
Play It Again, Sam
129