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=-1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID, LOTS_OF_MONEY autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 115aec,d275ffeffdf83655 X-Google-Attributes: gid115aec,public X-Google-Thread: 1108a1,d275ffeffdf83655 X-Google-Attributes: gid1108a1,public X-Google-Thread: f5d71,d275ffeffdf83655 X-Google-Attributes: gidf5d71,public X-Google-Thread: 101b33,d275ffeffdf83655 X-Google-Attributes: gid101b33,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,d275ffeffdf83655 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Thread: f849b,d275ffeffdf83655 X-Google-Attributes: gidf849b,public X-Google-Thread: 146b77,d275ffeffdf83655 X-Google-Attributes: gid146b77,public X-Google-Thread: 109fba,d275ffeffdf83655 X-Google-Attributes: gid109fba,public From: Mike Coffin Subject: Re: Ada vs C++ vs Java Date: 1999/01/17 Message-ID: <8p64spq5lo5.fsf@Eng.Sun.COM>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 433584474 References: <369C1F31.AE5AF7EF@concentric.net> <369DDDC3.FDE09999@sea.ericsson.se> <369e309a.32671759@news.demon.co.uk> <77ledn$eu7$1@remarQ.com> <77pnqc$cgi$1@newnews.global.net.uk> Organization: Sun Microsystems Inc., Mountain View, CA Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada,comp.lang.c++,comp.vxworks,comp.lang.java,comp.java.advocacy,comp.realtime,comp.arch.embedded,comp.object,comp.lang.java.programmer Date: 1999-01-17T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: Matthew Heaney writes: > This is throwing the baby out with the bath-water. Ada95 and C++ are > both static languages, just like C. It is no more difficult to > statically determine storage requirements using those higher-level > languages than it is for C. > > In this day and age, there is very little reason to continue using C. Scene: the water cooler in a good sized company. Dramatis personae: manager and programmer. The curtain rises... manager: You should use C++ or Ada. They're higher level than C. programmer: But I hate them. manager: But they're higher level! programmer: Yeah, right. When it first appeared, Ada was the laughingstock of programmers everywhere for its insane complexity and C++ has managed to outdo it. manager: But you'll be more productive! Your types will be checked! Your templates will be expanded! programmer: Then let me use Eiffel, or ML, or Scheme, or Haskell, or, or... Those are even higher level. I'll be even more productive. manager: But everyone knows that the language doesn't matter! Bad programmers can write bad code in any language! It's the quality of the engineer, not the language, that determines the quality of the code. programmer: So let me use C. manager: But, but, but, but ... it's too low level! Try C++ or Ada! You'll like it! programmer: I used them for years. I hate them. I got into this business because I like elegance, not baling wire and duct tape. If I had wanted to roll around in the muck I'd have been a pig farmer. Ada gives me a headache; C++ gives me a headache *AND* ulcers. manager: Well, I'm making an executive decision. Use C++. I know you don't like it now, but you'll get over it. programmer: Yup, I will. I quit. There: I'm over it. Happy ending: The project was abandoned after running 2 years late and ballooning from 3 programmers to 20. The code never did anything useful, but the types were all checked and the templates were all expanded. The manager was promoted. The programmer is now writing Java for an internet startup and has stock options worth $3.6 million. He has an occasional mild headache but no ulcers. -mike Obviously, not speaking for Sun Microsystems.