From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,c78177ec2e61f4ac X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: "Marin David Condic, 561.796.8997, M/S 731-93" Subject: Re: ada and robots Date: 1997/06/05 Message-ID: <97060510492534@psavax.pwfl.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 246336502 Sender: Ada programming language Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU X-Vms-To: SMTP%"INFO-ADA@VM1.NODAK.EDU" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada X-Vms-Cc: CONDIC Date: 1997-06-05T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: Dale Stanbrough writes: >"small systems a student can afford" > The Meridian Ada compiler, which comes for free with a book, is rather > cheap, and targets any of the 8086 family (which are cheap, no?). > It is Ada83 however. So I think you agree with you. > Before I start my tirade, let me preface by saying that I *like* Ada and prefer Ada to C. I 'reach', I'm 'of the body', Resistance was futile: I have been absorbed, I am part of The Borg, etc. But that doesn't mean there aren't some valid criticisms of Ada or times when C is more appropriate. I believe when the original poster was discussing this issue, it was about small, inexpensive microcontrollers for robotics. I've looked at a number of such computers (stuff that can be had for between $80 and $200, including development software {read: C compiler, loading & debugging tools}). An 8086 running some version of real-time MS-DOS (plus cobbling together your own cross-compilation environment) may be overkill, may not provide the analog & discrete I/O hardware support needed and would probably require non-trivial effort to get the Meridian Ada compiler, etc. set up to produce/load/debug code in the SBC. I imagine one could spend money/time retargeting GNAT to some SBC & get it up and running with the RTEMS real-time OS and cobble yourself together everything you need to load/debug images. Or you could buy the little microcontroller for $200 and get an integrated development environment using a C compiler. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. {But if it did, I just so happen to be one!} The embedded microcontroller market seems to have been conceeded to C for the time being and, especially for student projects, small development jobs and quick&dirty fixes, I'd recommend not spitting into the wind. (You certainly can't argue that life cycle costs are going to recoup me the $100k+ cost of building the port!) And this is *one* area where I'd desperately like to be proven wrong - if you want to show me a small (~3" x 5") SBC with analog & discrete connections, programmable from a serial port on a PC with an integrated development environment including an Ada95 compiler for around $200, I'll gladly admit I'm wrong. As for the rest of the criticisms you addressed, I think you're right on target. MDC Marin David Condic, Senior Computer Engineer ATT: 561.796.8997 Pratt & Whitney, GESP Fax: 561.796.4669 West Palm Beach, FL Internet: CONDICMA@PWFL.COM =============================================================================== "Having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid." -- G.K. Chesterton ===============================================================================