Re: Is GNU-Ada self-insulting?

[world!srctran@uunet.uu.net (Gregory Aharonian)]

>This begs a question in my mind:
>	How much flaming would be going on if the DoD had chosen
>	to *pay* a commercial company to develop a PD Ada compiler
>	(or god-forbid, a defense contractor!)?

Wake up.  Remember the Navy's effort with either Softech or Intermetrics
to develop the Ada ALS Ada Language System.  Talk about millions down the
drain.  The point in general is that the DoD should not be funding products
or fostering technologies (the waste of STARS), but instead should rely on
the free markets it is defending.

>Looks like having FSF, who do make some excellent software, perform
>the PD Ada projects is a good business decision to me.

As someone else has pointed out, GNU Ada most likely will undercut sales
for the few Ada vendors still in business.  It's tough enough to run a
business when the government competes with you, but it's worse when the
government funds your competitor.  In both cases, it shouldn't.

Greg Aharonian
-- 
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Greg Aharonian
Source Translation & Optimiztion
P.O. Box 404, Belmont, MA 02178