Re: NRC Study Report

["Marin David Condic, 561.796.8997, M/S 731-93" <condicma@PWFL.COM>]

Susan Carlson <carlsons@NS1.SW-ENG.FALLS-CHURCH.VA.US> writes:
>        1.  Require Ada for DoD warfighting software;
>
    Does this mean only for software that drives a tank or aims a gun?
    Or does it include command&control, etc.? What was once referred
    to as "Mission Critical" software seems to me to encompass
    "warfighting" software - is this (W.F.S/W) a subset of "Mission
    Critical?"

>        2.  Drop Ada requirement for other DoD software;
>
    I thought that the current requirement was strictly for "Mission
    Critical" and never encompassed things like payroll programs.
    (although it wouldn't be discouraged.) Perhaps my ignorance is
    showing.

>        3.  Invest $15M/year for Ada infrastructure - or drop
>                Ada requirement entirely;
>
    Are you sure that's enough? I think GNAT was one of the smartest
    decisions ever made in promoting widespread use of Ada - make a
    good quality compiler available free to anyone who wants it. If
    DoD would drop a significant chunk of change into developing
    support tools (targeted to at least a PC/Windows environment) and
    again make them available in the same way GNAT is, (Oh. Yeah.
    Spend a few bucks for *advertizing* that fact as well!) I think
    we'd see a dramatic increase in Ada usage in many fields. Here's
    my initial shopping list - demonstrating that $15m is probably not
    nearly enough:

    Visual Programming Tool - Draw logic diagrams which can be
    "compiled" to Ada source.

    GUI builder (It would be darned nice to see one of these things
    which let you actually maintain the GUI software through the
    builder. And yes, it *is* possible, but it would be a lot of work
    to make one that did.)

    Avionics quality compiler targeted to popular embedded processors.

    Configuration management/library system to support
    building/maintaining large software projects.

    Simulators/Debuggers/Static Analyzers/Dynamic Analyzers/etc.

    Automated test tools (Analyze a source code module, generate test
    inputs, run & verify results)


    The list could go on and on. If anyone at DoD would like me to
    help them spend some money, I'd be glad to take the job!

    MDC

Marin David Condic, Senior Computer Engineer    ATT:        561.796.8997
M/S 731-96                                      Technet:    796.8997
Pratt & Whitney, GESP                           Fax:        561.796.4669
P.O. Box 109600                                 Internet:   CONDICMA@PWFL.COM
West Palm Beach, FL 33410-9600                  Internet:   CONDIC@FLINET.COM
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