Re: Outside view (still): Development process in the Ada community

[Kilgallen@SpamCop.net (Larry Kilgallen)]

In article <1a976f56c5a59e7ee74d2030a5702737.48257@mygate.mailgate.org>, "Kent Paul Dolan" <xanthian@well.com> writes:
> "Larry Kilgallen" <Kilgallen@SpamCop.net> wrote:..
> 
>> ACT has experimented with several pragmas and attributes outside
>> the standard.  What other ideas have been worked out and proven
>> in an Ada environment ?
> 
> 
> Sorry, but read your own words. Don't they scream "inbred" to you?

No, think of it as an entrance examination.

If you think something is useful, prove that it is useful in Ada.
By that, you will prove to us all that it is worth doing in Ada.
If even an advocate will not go to the effort to provide a worked
example, the idea cannot be presumed worthwhile.

> xanthian, who would mildly suggest that ideas that have been worked out
> and proven in other programming language environments are at this point
> _much_ more important to Ada's future as a viable programming language,
> than merely rechurning stuff already known to work here.
> 
> Again, if you don't provide in Ada the modern functionalities the
> students learn to value in school, they will turn away to the tools that
> do.

The fact that something is taught in school does not automatically
make it worthwhile.  The fact that it is attractive to students is
even less compelling.  I am much more interested in Ada's effectiveness
than I am in its popularity.