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=0.6 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_05,INVALID_DATE, LOTS_OF_MONEY autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!wuarchive!uwm.edu!bionet!agate!ucbvax!NSWC-WO.ARPA!wdence From: wdence@NSWC-WO.ARPA (Walter Dence) Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Stability for Embedded Applications? Message-ID: <9101130210.AA02405@NSWC-WO.ARPA> Date: 13 Jan 91 02:10:58 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet List-Id: Stability for Embedded Applications? Last year we let a contract for a system of several units, some of which contain 80286 CPU's. We required Ada and the contractor purchased and is now using an Ada cross compiler. Now we are preparing to receive the system and are purchasing a cross compiler and an in-circuit emulator "identical" to his for evaluation and maintenance of the system. A stub has just come to my desk for $37,000.00. Our host is to be an 80286 machine. But, the shocking price is not my only concern. The software purchased by our contractor was validated under the 1.10 Ada validation suite. That compiler is not on the Jan 91 Ada validation list. Should we buy a 1.10 compiler? Is it now for sale? Is it Ada anymore? Should our contractor upgrade his to 1.11? We expect to test and validate this system over a period of many years. Then it will be maintained, modified, and upgraded for many more. Possibly 25 years or more. Will the 1.10 product be available for 25 years? Will it be Ada now that it is off of the validation list? Should we upgrade with each new validation suite? What about our expensive field testing and laboratory testing? It now looks like we may go through 40 Ada validation versions over the life cycle of this system. Will Ada ever hold still long enough for us to validate and certify our system? Will our Ada vendor be in business? Will he still be revalidating for cross compilation to an 80286? (With his pricing, I have my doubts.) How much will he be charging for each upgrade to his $37.000.00 PC-based compiler? I have studied, followed, and advocated Ada for 15 years, and now at last my organization has committed to it. But, now I feel like a fool. People look me in the eye now and ask, What happened? Where is the promised stability of Ada? Our compilers disappear with each Ada validation update list. Assembly language and Turbo Pascal were our old workhorses. They were easy to use, affordable, and with PC's, very efficient, effective, and stable. What do I do now? What do I say? What is Ada in view of the disappearing compilers from the updated validation lists? Where is stability? Can anyone explain or justify this? Why in the world do we all put up with all the problems of Ada in this conference if it is not stable? And how did things go so wrong in our Ada community to result in this unbelievable pricing for a compiler and in-circuit emulator on a very popular industry-standard PC hosted onto a very popular industry-standard target? DISCLAIMER: This is personal opinion, not official opinion.