Re: Licences

["Randy Brukardt" <randy@rrsoftware.com>]

"Martin Dowie" <martin.dowie@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:diqjlf$j15$1@nwrdmz03.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
...
> I would have thought that this was an ideal opportunity for an Aonix or
> an RRS to step in with a personal $0-zero support version of their
compiler.
>
> Aonix do have one but the restrictions it imposes are so large that you
> can't develop anything of any note on it.
>
> RRS do ship a low-cost compiler but when you can get a free
> C/Delphi/C++/Java compiler, it is hard to justify even that small amount
> - and a lot of student simply can't even afford <$100 - especially when
> there is a new iPodWhatever every 6 months! ;-)
>
> Surely, a $0 compiler, that could be used outside of the GPL, would open
> the Ada world up to many more people and that in turn would create
> demand for paid-for products and/or support?

We've thought about it on several occasions. But there are parts of our
Windows package that we don't own (and we have to pay royalities on), and
those would have to be replaced by something else in order to make a free
version available. We could easily do it with our Ada 83 MS-DOS compilers --
but who cares??

We're still thinking about it, and perhaps at some point something will be
available. But don't hold your breath waiting...

                        Randy.