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=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,a1ce307c10055549 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2002-12-15 11:20:01 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!canoe.uoregon.edu!arclight.uoregon.edu!wn13feed!worldnet.att.net!204.127.198.204!attbi_feed4!attbi.com!sccrnsc03.POSTED!not-for-mail From: tmoran@acm.org Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: IBM Acquires Rational Ada References: X-Newsreader: Tom's custom newsreader Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: 12.234.13.56 X-Complaints-To: abuse@attbi.com X-Trace: sccrnsc03 1039980000 12.234.13.56 (Sun, 15 Dec 2002 19:20:00 GMT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 19:20:00 GMT Organization: AT&T Broadband Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 19:20:00 GMT Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:31858 Date: 2002-12-15T19:20:00+00:00 List-Id: > The problem is a "Standard" component library that just plain comes with > any given Ada compiler by default. 1) What spec should be implemented for a component. For instance, a high level abstraction like Claw.Sockets, or a lower level like Gnat.Sockets? Both? Or are they sufficiently different they don't compete? The user is back where he started, trying to make a decision. 2) A compiler vendor must consider not only what would attract new customers (from his rivals, in a slow growing market), but what keeps his existing customers from switching. If his current customers are dependent on his non-standard features/libraries, it would be costly for them to switch, but standard items make the vendor's product more a commodity, subject to competition from anyone with a lower price. For the vendor that's a disincentive to standardization. Microsoft doesn't offer "standard" components out of good will, they offer "lock you into Windows" components. Perhaps if there was a monopoly in Ada compilers, it wouldn't worry about losing customers to other Ada vendors, but would instead worry about losing them to other languages.