Re: Pricing Ada out of Education

[reid@CTC.CONTEL.COM (Tom Reid x4505)]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with Richard Pattis.  I have wanted to
use Ada for a translator construction course that I teach.  The university
does not use Ada in any of its classes now and I am off-campus so the 
site license route is out.  I need a mechanism that I can inform the 
vendor the students in the course so that they can order directly or I have
to be distributor and collect from the students.  Needless to say, I
prefer the first.

The price is another thing.  After requiring a text book, I still need 
a language tutorial book and the compiler.  We are starting to look at 
real money.  Last year, I was able to have the students buy the Jensen
and Partners, Inc. Modula-2 student pak for $50.  It included a nice
tutorial.  I faxed my student role to JPI so they knew who was legit.  
This method kept the student cost to under $100 (barely) and I thought
that was acceptable.  I have also used shareware compilers.

The Ada vendors I approached were not as accommodating.  Part of this
might be that JPI seriously targets college campuses whereas I do not
see the Ada vendors doing that.  I would love to see an Ada vendor take
an agressive marketing fling at colleges and I would reward then by 
trying to make Ada a serious part of the curriculum.

Thomas F. Reid, Ph. D.                   (703)818-4505 (work)
Contel Technology Center                 (703)742-8720 (home)
15000 Conference Center Drive            Net: reid@ctc.contel.com
P.O. Box 10814  
Chantilly, Va.  22021-3808