Re: decline of Ada?

[jsa@alexandria (Jon S Anthony)]

In article <199611121040.FAA16264@bb.iu.net> "Sam Harbaugh: Palm Bay, Florida" <harbaugh@IU.NET> writes:

> >Could be, but really, Ada has to make it in the commercial market
> >independent of so called "mandates" (which were never enforced
> >anyway).  So, this could actually be a _good_ thing for Ada - the less
> >association with the government the better :-)
> 
> I am told that Oracle says that in two years Java will be the standard data
> base  language (rather than SQL).  Of course Microsoft may say otherwise. I
> am also told that Oracle had 15,000 attendees at Mosconi Center in San
> Francisco at last week's Oracle World (or whatever they called it). Compare
> this with Tri-Ada attendance.

What on Earth has this got to do with the above?


> There are technical and cultural reasons* why Java is the current
> emerging commercial language. These same reasons preclude Ada from
> that area. I guess that in 20 years there will be technical and
> cultural reasons why Java will have plateaued (is there such a
> word?) and another language is taking its place.

I suppose.  Of course, 2 years ago, people were saying the exact same
thing about C++.  Now, only a couple years later, we have it that Java
is somehow the "current emerging commercial language" and sacred cow
(I mean, really - where did you get that 20 year thing???  Hell, in
two years there could be Simba which will clearly be the "current
emerging commercial language")


> >Part of the problem is that the DoD never really gave Ada much support
> >yet tainted it's image by associating it with "the government".
> 
> In my opinion it is not a "problem", just a "situation".

OK.


> In my opinion the DoD gave Ada a GREAT DEAL of support.

I meant after the fact.  It's sort of like the "their support begins at
xxx and ends at yyy"...


> of the Government?  The DoD had Ada built to specification to solve
> their problem, not the problems of the commercial sector.

Same with the Internet, KC135, 747, COBOL, etc., etc., etc.  Clearly,
this line of thought is severely flawed.


/Jon
-- 
Jon Anthony
Organon Motives, Inc.
Belmont, MA 02178
617.484.3383
jsa@organon.com