Re: Ada for 1st year students

[christoph.grein@eurocopter.com]

On 16 Okt., 00:30, amado.al...@gmail.com wrote:
> > (I think it _is_ possible to compile a simple one
> > file main unit in GPS without setting up a project first.)
>
> Occasionally, but only after a lot of nob turning, and by then the
> class is ruined.
>
> > This is about a class for beginners.  Configuration
> > management will keep them busy learing things that
> > have little to do with writing your first programs for
> > a well defined execution environment.
>
> Exactly! Thanks a lot, I don't feel lonely anymore :-)

I think you misunderstood what I said. For beginners, AdaGIDE or
command line is OK, why bother them with config mgmt.

But as soon as you start a "real" project, you cannot do without some
config managmnt. Rational (now IBM) APEX uses subsytems for this,
AdaCore GNAT uses project files - I know both of them and both have
their pros and cons - , Aonix (now who, I forget) ObjectAda some other
means, RR and who else sells compilers have still other means.

Alas, Ada stopped at the code level, the APSE idea (the standard for
the development environment) did not get anywhere (wasn't it the
woodenman document?).

And I gather GNAT project files were introduced exactly because using
hundreds of -I switches was felt inconvenient, to say the least. So
how come they are useless?