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=-0.4 required=5.0 tests=AC_FROM_MANY_DOTS,BAYES_00 autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,c62a5e526aafd9d4 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-10-01 07:26:05 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news2.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!newsfeeds.belnet.be!news.belnet.be!psinet-eu-nl!psiuk-p4!uknet!psiuk-n!news.pace.co.uk!nh.pace.co.uk!not-for-mail From: "Marin David Condic" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: The Hobby Lobby was Windows CE? Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2001 10:14:50 -0400 Organization: Posted on a server owned by Pace Micro Technology plc Message-ID: <9p9tos$76n$1@nh.pace.co.uk> References: <9onhgu$9h9$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <3BAF77E6.9BDE9102@adaworks.com> <9onvig$f6n$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <3bb05ee7.10496763@news.demon.co.uk> <3BB0B3C4.432E2B4B@sparc01.ftw.rsc.raytheon.com> <3bb1d07f.18201562@news.demon.co.uk> <3BB2075A.57C22F55@sparc01.ftw.rsc.raytheon.com> <3BB22F0E.718B1244@sparc01.ftw.rsc.raytheon.com> <9otbs2$juj$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <9ovaf2$c18$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <3BB340C6.DC51CB98@lmtas.lmco.com> <9ovh43$erd$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <9p1utj$d8k$1@nh.pace.co.uk> <87k7ygpxbc.fsf@kursk.kassube.de> NNTP-Posting-Host: dhcp-200-133.miami.pace.co.uk X-Trace: nh.pace.co.uk 1001945692 7383 136.170.200.133 (1 Oct 2001 14:14:52 GMT) X-Complaints-To: newsmaster@news.cam.pace.co.uk NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Oct 2001 14:14:52 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4522.1200 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:13579 Date: 2001-10-01T14:14:52+00:00 List-Id: Sure. There are hobbyists, students, etc. who might have a few bucks in their pockets and upon seeing a store display (or at least a boxed set) might look at the price tag and say "Hey, I've heard a few things about this language - maybe for a few $$$ I'll pick up this kit and see if I can learn a little bit about it..." There won't be very many impulse buyers at $1000 per kit, but there might be quite a few at $100 and certainly more at $29.95. I don't think that all of it would come from impulse buying. You'd have to do some sort of advertising campaign or otherwise find promotions that would generate some level of interest, but the key is to have it available in some local store where people can see it and get their hands on it immediately for a price that isn't off-putting. If someone has to search it out, you'll only get the sales of the die-hard Ada fans - preaching to the choir. If it confronts the unexpected customer, but has some kind of delay involved (order now, ship within X days) it will find more buyers, but not as many as if it is right there in front of the buyer and available at a price that doesn't give the buyer reason to pause & think about finances. That's just basic marketing at work here. I think Ada would fare better if it had *some* presence in the computer stores where the geeks hang out. Try going into one of these and looking at the books on the shelf. You'll find lots of books for a variety of languages, but I'd bet good money you won't find a single text on Ada in most of the computer or book outlets. How are "The Masses" going to find out about Ada and potentially like/use Ada if they never get any exposure to it? Without a store presence on *some* level, the neyophyte will get the impression that it is only some sort of curiosity that has no real base of users because you never see it anywhere. That creates even more reasons to ignore the language. Ada has been pretty good with hiding its light under a bushel basket. I think that needs to be changed. MDC -- Marin David Condic Senior Software Engineer Pace Micro Technology Americas www.pacemicro.com Enabling the digital revolution e-Mail: marin.condic@pacemicro.com Web: http://www.mcondic.com/ "Nils Kassube" wrote in message news:87k7ygpxbc.fsf@kursk.kassube.de... > "Marin David Condic" writes: > > > without a presence on store shelves. The question is, how much > > better would sales be if there *were* a presence on store shelves > > where impulse buyers with no prior Ada experience might pick it up? > > Do you really think there are any impulse buyers at all for > programming environments?