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=0.1 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_05,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,54c513170bafd693 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: Richard D Riehle Subject: Re: Desirability of C++ Date: 2000/04/28 Message-ID: <8eclae$afj$1@slb7.atl.mindspring.net>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 616882027 References: <01HW.B4BFC2820005B06B08A24140@news.pacbell.net> <20000204073443.24976.00001288@ng-ci1.aol.com> <87euk0$c93$1@nnrp1.deja.com> <01HW.B4C1346100072D2408A24140@news.pacbell.net> <949867976.281549@the-rowan.albatross.co.nz> <8766v93w66.fsf@deneb.cygnus.argh.org> <38E8C81A.AA62CF4C@HiWAAY.net> <7EA1B852F5D4D8C6.26EEE9181C80F0DF.0161EA2D9C353253@lp.airnews.net> <01HW.B51C1B6E00F41C2D04BB51B0@news.pacbell.net> <38F796B2.A99A206A@ftw.rsc.raytheon.com> <38F7A27A.4F7729FA@raytheon.com> Organization: MindSpring Enterprises X-Server-Date: 28 Apr 2000 18:29:34 GMT Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Date: 2000-04-28T18:29:34+00:00 List-Id: In article <38F7A27A.4F7729FA@raytheon.com>, "Stanley R. Allen" 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