Re: Ada to C Translator

[Ted Dennison <dennison@telepath.com>]

In article <3A5218FB.41FDD@collins.rockwell.com>,
  Dave Ptacek <drptaceknospam@collins.rockwell.com> wrote:

> I would be interested in some suggestions as to what languages and
> toolsets would be viable alternatives for maintaining a program 15 -
> 20 years into the future.  Please try to take the Ada hat off before
> you respond, it still might be your choice, attempt to rationalize it
> with reasonable statements, consider the logistical situation noted
> above and lastly this is not a "deep pocket" program so funds are
> limited.

If you want our "Ada" hats off, you are in the wrong place. You might as
well ask the same question to passerby in a soup kitchen. :-)

What OSes are technially best depends a lot on your application. Is it
real-time? Is it embedded, and you have to deliver lots of units? Is it
an office application?

Generally, I'd argue that if you use an OS for which you have all the
source code, then that would insulate you from a lot of worries about
vendors discontinuing support. For instance, if some vendor makes a new
device that you'd like to stick on your system 5 years from now, you
could just write up a driver for it yourself if worse comes to worse.
This logic would clearly point to Linux or one of the free (liberated)
alternatives. Of course of those, Linux is probably the best supported
right now. Its also the most enthusiasticly hyped, which seems to matter
a great deal to you folks for some reason. (Sorry for the cheap dig, I
couldn't resist). If you want to jump onto a hype train, you might as
well catch one that's just getting up to steam, so you don't have to
jump again quite so soon.

--
T.E.D.

http://www.telepath.com/~dennison/Ted/TED.html


Sent via Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/