Re: Microsoft & Ada

["stephane richard" <stephane.richard@verizon.net>]

See me comments distributed in your message.  Preceded by a ***

"Andrew Carroll" <andrew@carroll-tech.net> wrote in message 
news:mailman.10.1094898755.390.comp.lang.ada@ada-france.org...
> Okay, let me ask it again.
>
> Is the Ada language licensed or patented?  By language I mean the
> grammar that the compiler uses.  I think it's called a BNF grammar.
>
*** No, Ada, like any other language isn't patented per se, anyone that 
wants to write a compiler for any language probably has the right to do so. 
And you're right it is called a BNF (For Backus Naure Formal) language 
description.

> Also, if you support the idea of Microsoft getting involved with Ada,
> why?

*** Well for the sake of added visibility of Ada itself to a definitaly 
widespread user base of microsoft visual Studio developers all over the 
world, .net and others.  That would be one of the benefits.  Think of it 
this way.  If you say, in a crowded room, that you program in Ada, it can 
have a certain level of influence perhaps.  What if Microsoft said the very 
same phrase in that same crowded room.  Do you think you, or microsoft would 
have the bigger influence?

> What is at risk for you if Microsoft did get involved?

*** Loss of standards, like what they did to C++, Like Borland did to C++ 
too...they didn't totally destroy C++ but in most cases, code written for 
Visual C++ tend to not compile as is on other C++ compilers.

> Are there benefits related to Microsoft's involvement that reduce your
> current risks?

*** It's not quite a question of risk, at least not in my mind.  It's more a 
question of visibility and incluence so to speak.  What if you went to the 
microsoft website and it recommended Ada  and/or recommended Ad related 
website and strategies and so on and so forth.

*** For the newcomer, they would wonder what Ada is and why it's being 
pushed that much by microsoft.

*** For the veteran, well some might think: .oO(  Wow, Microsoft finally 
understood ) or something like that ;-).   Seriously though, even the 
veterans will agree that today, want to or not, still and even with the 
latest court crazes that went on with microsoft.  Microsoft is a big 
influencial box, what it says pretty much goes.  so if Ada is mentionned on 
the microsoft website for example, it's worth it's weight in gold.  Same 
thing if Ada is spoken in seminars or other events organized by microsoft.

> If so, what are they?

*** see above.

> Why do you feel that Microsoft's involvement with Ada implies positive
> results only?

***  Positive results as far as Ada promotion goes.  see above but like I 
said, if microsoft says so, it IS so.  Or at least some people could start 
thinking differently because Microsoft started thinking differently about 
Ada.  In a way it's sad, but it is true. :-)

*** As far as the Ada language goes.  well Unless Microsoft decides to buy 
the ISO organization that handles the Ada standard, I don't think they can 
destroy Ada as we know it.  however, in libraries that they might create to 
make Ada more usable for windows (if they can ;-) ) then standards might be 
broken as a sacrifice to making their Ada Package (I wont say Visual Ada, 
but it does keep popping in my head) more usable under Windows (of course) 
:-).

>
>

***  Mind you, even though I'm not a big microsoft fanatic, I'm not ignorant 
to the good that companies like microsoft can do if they decide to backup or 
boost a product, whichever it might be :-).

> Andrew Carroll
> Carroll-Tech
> 720-273-6814
> andrew@carroll-tech.net
>

*** And that was my 2 cents. sorta ;-).