Re: computer language used to program Mars Lander

["Phaedrus" <phaedrusalt@hotmail.com>]

"Stephen Leake" <Stephe.Leake@nasa.gov> wrote in message 
news:uvdz7uzeu.fsf@nasa.gov...
> "jhc0033@gmail.com" <jhc0033@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Interesting article I came across on Slashdot:
>>
>> http://developers.slashdot.org/developers/08/07/10/213211.shtml
>>
>> They are using C at JPL to program Mars Lander and just about
>> everything now! Not Ada. Anyone got an explanation?
>
> They are comfortable with their current tools, and simply refuse to
> consider others.
>
> I run into that attitude all the time. Even when they are considering
> adding tools like static analyzers, they won't consider changing
> languages. It's extremely frustrating!
>
> In the short run, sticking with what you know is safe. In the long
> run, it is a significant loss of productivity. JPL and many, many
> other places are sticking with the safe route.
>
> -- 
> -- Stephe

Actually, JPL did try Ada for a few projects.  In the late early '90s they 
got the contract from the Army to work on the All Source Analysis System 
(ASAS), a very large project.  Also, unless my memory fails me they also did 
some (if not all) of the Cassini software in Ada, and I believe they did 
other projects in Ada, too.  While Cassini (being a relatively small, well 
contained project) went well, ASAS was another thing altogether.

The problem isn't that they won't try Ada, the problem is that when they 
did, they didn't get the results they wanted.  Remember back when Ada was 
the buzzword to have on your resume?  That was when they tried Ada, and some 
of the contractors they hired to "show them the way" weren't even sure how 
to spell Ada, much less get anything done in it.  (A VERY high priced 
contractor on ASAS admitted to me that he had never even seen Ada code 
before being hired for his "expert" knowledge.  Amazingly, they never caught 
on, even after he went on to greener pastures they were still raving about 
him!)

Sadly, these blunders and others don't get remembered as "how NOT to manage 
a software project", they get filed under "Ada sucks".   We need to convince 
them to give her another chance.

--Brian