Re: Desirability of C++

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

In article <38F7A27A.4F7729FA@raytheon.com>,
	"Stanley R. Allen" <Stanley_R_Allen-NR@raytheon.com> wrote:

>We should seriously question the assumption that it is easier to
>hire C++ vs. Ada programmers.  The entire Information Technology 
>industry is facing severe hiring problems, so the shortage of
>Ada programmers is at least in part a reflection of the more
>general situation.

Here is the U.S. it gets pretty silly sometimes.  Last week, yet
another senior military officer pronounced in an influential meeting,
"Ada is dead."  Readers of this forum will undestand that it was a
stupid thing to say, but those withing listening range will deferentially
nod in agreement, as if this absurdity actually had any meaning.  

When someone who issues such a banality is challenged with the question,
"So the alternative to Ada is what?" the usual answer is C++ or, even
worse, Java.  This answer demonstrates a deficit of understanding at
such a high level in the Department of Defense that one wonders if those
making important decisions are being inadvertantly advised by people
with agendas other than the construction of reliable software.  

Who does influence the language selection decision within a large organization?
One could reasonably ask whether that influence is guided by the economic
interests of those who stand to make the most money from products and 
services related to those decisions.  Large companies with deep pockets are
not building Ada compilers and tools.  

We once had a congressional lobbyist, funded by the Ada Resource Association,
going to the "Hill" to make our case.  For a long time we had Ralph Crafts
visiting Senators and Congressmen to make the case for Ada.  At present, we
have no one making the case.  No one is visiting DoD officials, government
officials, congresspersons, senators, or anyone else with influence.  No
one is writing any articles, press releases, or anything else that finds its
way into the consciousness of those making decisions.  

Why has no one ever written a press release for ComputerWorld, or published
an advertisement in ComputerWorld, Government Computer Week, or other general
publications in the computer field announcing that their Ada compiler is used
for the Boeing 777 or the Channel Tunnel, or the Fokker 100, or brings you
your nightly newscast via a communications satellite?   

The perception of many senior military officials concurs with that of officer
mentioned earlier in this article.  His ignorance is not his own fault.  It is
the fault of those of us who fail to get the message more broadly disseminated.

OK.  I guess I need to write and publish more articles.  For the past two years
I have been tied up with other things.  I'll try to get some writing done and
see if anyone still wants to publish an occasional article about Ada.  It would
be nice to have the facts about some good projects to include in such articles,
though.  No one wants to read my ranting without the seasoning of a few good
anecdotes.  

Anyone else out there able to write a set of entertaining and coherent sentences
for publication to improve visibility?   

Hint:  If you are planning to write about Ada for publication, your article should
       be first about the solution to some problem, and second about Ada.  Most
       editors are not interested in Ada because they have so few readers who care
       about Ada.  However, when you can demonstrate a project in which Ada was an
       important part of the solution space, they will be open to the article, not
       because of the Ada but in spite of it. 
 
Richard Riehle