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=0.6 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_05,INVALID_DATE autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uupsi!sunic!ugle.unit.no!nuug!ifi!enag From: enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Socioeconomics, Ada, C++ Message-ID: Date: 12 May 91 21:00:26 GMT References: Sender: enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) Organization: Naggum Software, Oslo, Norway In-Reply-To: srctran@world.std.com's message of 7 May 91 04: 36:19 GMT List-Id: In article , Gregory Aharonian writes: Only in central planned economies are "obviously great" ideas "successful" nationally. In free markets, [it's the] survival of the "fittest". Considering the number of students learning C++, the number of commercial enterprises using C++ voluntarily for their products, and the number of companies able to make their living supplying reusable C++ libraries and services - versus the Ada world - one can only conclude that C++ is the "fittest", while it is plain to see that Ada is "obviously great". The technical superiority of C++ or Ada is irrelevant, no one will ever agree. What counts to people trying to make a living in free markets is what sells. And all I see selling is C++. Yes and no. Yes, making a living today is based on doing what's in vogue today. No, making a living tomorrow is based on making sound decisions, including knowledge of technical superiority. I thank the Free Market that there are people out there who think longer-range than those who only aim to survive the current fiscal year. It's possible to influence tomorrow by providing the "next generation" with the proper ideas. (Pepsi got the idea.) Unix, or many of the ideas behind Unix, anyhow, became popular because the next generation was provided the prerequisite toys to play with to make the whole world go Unix in less than 20 years. We're seeing an even shorter time period between new idea and popularity these days, but it still takes time. In an industry where three seconds is a long time, ten years is next to no time. -- [Erik Naggum] Professional Programmer Naggum Software Electronic Text 0118 OSLO, NORWAY Computer Communications +47-2-836-863