Re: NSITE ADA compiler

Re: NSITE ADA compiler

[psuvm!twg103]

I've evaluated the NSITE tutorial package and purchased Meridian's Open Ada
development environment.  (NSITE is actually more a tutorial that includes the
Meridian compilor and a text editor similar to Open Ada's.) The tutorial
package is a great way to learn Ada, if you're unable to take formal classes,
or need to work at your own pace on a home PC, etc.  However, there is little
or no documentation for the compilor itself, and does not include the
extensive libraries that are included in Open Ada.  Keep in mind that NSITE's
product is intended to teach the language and structured programming, while
Meridian's Open Ada is a compiler, linker, and development environment that
makes no attempt to teach the language or programming techniques.  Open Ada
does, however, include a nice tutorial on its ADE (Ada development
environment).


Recommendation: If you are new to Ada, the NSITE tutorial is a super
introduction to the language, and it comes with a full-fledged, validated,
mature compilor/linker that you can use in it's own right as you learn, and
after.  If you are familiar with Ada (or, I think anything syntactically
similar such as C or Pascal), you'd be better off getting Open Ada.  My
programming experience had mainly been in COBOL and Univac Assembly, with a
Turbo Pascal hobby at home, but as an Army officer I figured I better get on
the Ada band wagon.  I bought Open Ada (I think the educational cost is
c.$150) and checked out a book at the library called "Ada as a Second
Language" (Author is Cohen??).  That did it for me.  I found Meridian's
documentation to be complete, including a hypertext DoD Language Reference
Manual on line.  If you think you could use the NSITE tutorial, and can afford
both, I think after going through the tutorial you'd find Open Ada worth the
extra $150 to get the documentation and integrated development environment.


I don't have Meridian's phone number handy, but I will get it and email it to
you.  --probably after Thanksgiving, unfortunately :-( -- It's toll free,
though, so you might be able to get it by calling toll free information at
1-800-555-1212 and ask for Meridian Software.  -- Good Luck!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tim Gies, Captain, US Army                Internet: twg103@psuvm.psu.edu
Graduate student, Computer Engineering      Bitnet: twg103@psuvm
Pennsylvania State University