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=1.4 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_50,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 1014db,4873305131bf4d94 X-Google-Attributes: gid1014db,public X-Google-Thread: fdb77,4873305131bf4d94 X-Google-Attributes: gidfdb77,public X-Google-Thread: 109fba,4873305131bf4d94 X-Google-Attributes: gid109fba,public X-Google-Thread: 10261c,90121986704b5776 X-Google-Attributes: gid10261c,public X-Google-Thread: 10c950,90121986704b5776 X-Google-Attributes: gid10c950,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,4873305131bf4d94 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: Steve Ropa Subject: Re: ADA and Pascal SUCK, C,C++, and Java are the only languages you need!! Date: 1997/11/06 Message-ID: #1/1 X-Deja-AN: 287517019 References: <34557f2b.1934172@news.mindspring.com> <63atai$v3r$1@helios.crest.nt.com> <63teu9$s4o$1@helios.crest.nt.com> Organization: Dimensional Communications Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.java.advocacy,comp.lang.pascal.ansi-iso,comp.lang.pascal.misc Date: 1997-11-06T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: On 6 Nov 1997, Kaz Kylheku wrote: > In article , > John Stevens wrote: > >On 30 Oct 1997 13:13:54 -0800, Kaz Kylheku wrote: > >>Telecommunication management software is large and complex, but not safety > >>critical, > > > >"HELLO!!??? 911??!! Damn, the software controlling the switch crashed > >again!" ;-> > > Embedded software which controls switches is distinct from TMN. TMN typically > runs on workstations and gives operators a map with blinking lights which > enables them to identify crises on the network and take action. The software > works essentially by monitoring the network elements for traffic reports and > alarms, and it not only identifies acute crises but can provide statistics > which can assist with planning future network expansion. That's sort of the > general thing that I would understand as ``telecommunication network > management''. > Actually, I need to point out that all alarms(fiber cut, huge BER, etc) are reported to the NMS. In one system we did, that meant over 10,000 alarms per second, and yes that becomes safety critical. And actually the software is not just meant for monitoring. It will also take some of the actions necessary to correct these alarms(emergency cutover, cross connect, etc.) > If network management fails, your call to 911 might not go through as a result > of the failure of the telco to identify and correct network problems such as > congestion or out of service trunks, or some failure in the signalling network, > etc, not as a direct result of the failure of the software. > If some guy accidentally slices my fiber(self healing rings notwithstanding) and I don't react to it by rerouting the traffic, the 911 call does not go through, and people die. > >>and quasi-real-time at best. Shut-down software for a nuclear reactor > >>may be less complex, but requires much more verification. > > I of course would not argue with that. My point is that there are lots of mission critical applications, and just because it may not seem that way at first glance, if the customer feels it is...it is. By the way, I have worked with several SONET switches, and their embedded software is in C++! I am not claiming that all, or even most switches are C++, just some of the ones I worked with. And yes, they are currently in the field. > >But in the end, it is the programmer and the quality assurance procedures > >that make the difference, not language choice. > > If there is such thing as THE difference rather than a whole bunch of > smaller differences. :) The question is the extent to which the language > choice plays a role. The ability of the programmer to chose the right language for his/her problem domain cetainly plays a role. I think yoiu are right though, there are really a lot of small roles that make up a good programmer. Steve