From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.5-pre1 (2020-06-20) on ip-172-31-74-118.ec2.internal X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.8 required=3.0 tests=BAYES_50,MSGID_SHORT autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.5-pre1 Date: 18 May 93 17:56:26 GMT From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!network.ucsd.edu!swrinde!emory!ogicse!verdix!sfz@ucbvax.Be rkeley.EDU (Stephen Zeigler) Subject: re: verdix kisses off Ada Message-ID: <9573@verdix.verdix.com> List-Id: Verdix Corporation has been described as "kissing off Ada." As Vice President of Compiler Products for Verdix, I would like to correct the record. The following posting was made to comp.lang.ada: > >From the May 6, 1993 issue of Washington Technology, page 3: > > Verdix Corporation, a leading supplier of software engineering > products using the Ada programming language, is attempting to > sell its security products division. The firm is looking to > refocus resources on its core software programming business, > particularly efforts in products for the C++ computer language, > which has eclipsed use of Ada outside of the Pentagon. > > > What will it take for the DoD to see the light and drop the Mandate? > For all Ada compiler companies to fail and/or refocus on C++? For all Ada > components vendors to fail and/or switch over to C++? For all of the > services to pay lip service to the Mandate? For DoD software developments > costs to go through the roof? WHAT?????? > > Greg Aharonian > -- > ************************************************************************** > Greg Aharonian > Source Translation & Optimiztion > P.O. Box 404, Belmont, MA 02178 The above quoted article seems to have left a misimpression, at least with Mr. Aharonian. Verdix continues to invest enthusiastically in its Ada tool technology, which supplies a complete set of development tools to a wide range of customers, for most popular hosts and targets. Verdix Ada technology is also supplied by OEMs such as Sun Microsystems and Silicon Graphics. Verdix does internal development in C, C++ and Ada, but generally has found that Ada is the most cost effective language for new development. We follow similar guidelines to the DoD: if an internal module is to be more than 30% recoded we will use Ada. We have records of all changes ever made in the development of Verdix products; those records show us that for the lifecycle Ada seems to be about 2x or better for cost effectiveness than C. C++ numbers are too early to show meaningful results. In general we expect C++ to be best for integrating known "objects" when writing relatively concise new programs, while Ada and later Ada9x are better for realtime, for precise and for extensively new programs. Our customer base seems, for the most part, happy with our products and with Ada. We are happy that our Ada business has shown consistent growth and profitability for the last 6-7 years, thanks to those happy customers - Verdix does most of its marketing by word-of-mouth amongst its potential customers. The purpose of the Ada mandate has been to encourage use of a new technology through its long introductory period, when many understood that such complex new technology would require substantial investment and time. Many new technologies receive support for decades before they become cost effective. The Ada mandate is there because the DoD realized that decisions on its complex, extensive software should not be made on the basis of making code easy to write, but rather making code easier to maintain. The commercial world has different goals; in most industries it is better to get something in the market quickly than it is to be as concerned with long-term maintenance, since a maintenance stream is a gold mine to the supplier. Thus some of the important motivators for Ada are weakened in the commercial world today, with exceptions for code needing high reliability such as airplanes. Even so, Verdix is patiently building ever-improving Ada technology with the expectation that competitive forces and natural business evolution will increase the use of Ada both inside and outside of the DoD. Ada provides several important facillities not available yet in C/C++. Verdix is introducing VADSmp and DADS this year: VADSmp lets Ada tasks take advantage of shared memory multiprocessing, while the more ambitious DADS (Distributed Applications Development System) does the same for Ada users atop homogenous distributed systems. Both products perform multiprocessing transparent to the Ada programmer: the same build/debug tools are all there just as for VADS. These product lines provide significant, indeed some have said "revolutionary", new capabilities to Ada users, in production quality form not available in C, C++ or other mainstream languages. Verdix is seeing commercial interest in Ada already, and with these new products we hope that Ada usage can accelerate. Our C++/C efforts are equally serious. They represent our conviction that languages are like tools in other industries - it's not good to try to hammer with a saw or to saw with a hammer. Our company is dedicated to making compatible tools, so that our customers are free to choose the right tool for the right job. Our clients should be able to mix Ada, C and C++, while using the power of DADS and VADSmp. Organization: Verdix Western Operations, Aloha OR Keywords: