Re: Data shows Top 50 Software Vendors not using Ada

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

John,

>The DoD is responsible for maintaining huge amounts of embedded software
>for very long periods of time.  If each procurer is free to choose the
>implementation language that make his program's creation cheapest, there
>will be an overwhelming number of language/dialects to be maintained by
>this department (read tax-dollars).  The point of the mandate is the ease 
>this management problem.

Like it or not, the DoD already has a multi-language problem.  A growing
number of those inside the DoD are ignoring the Mandate and using what's
available.  DARPA was, is and will always be funding stuff that will never
use Ada.  To get jobs when they are booted out of the DoD, soldier-types
are using C/C++.  All I am asking for is that the DoD confess to the
hypocrisy that the DoD is a one language institution.  It isn't because
based on their behavior, and not their words, the DoD is at best apathetic
towards Ada.  The Ada Mandate has done absolutely nothing to making the
DoD a one language organization.  Too many of its people act otherwise.
And the DoD doesn't have the decency to fund a honest study of what is
actually going on inside the Mandated world.

>IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENTS JOB TO MAKE ADA SUCCESSFUL IN THE OPEN MARKET.

Read the Ada Mandate.  Congress, at someone's behest, but the phrase
"cost effective" into the law.  If for the DoD to make the Ada Mandate work
requires that Ada be successful in the open market, then the DoD has
to take steps to make it successful.  Let DARPA orchestrate it, since
they know very well how to influence markets and get contractors to do
what they want.

Besides, the DoD for the last three years has suppressed an Air Force
report stating that the country does not have the infrastructure to
support the Mandate.

So as long as this hypocrisy goes on at taxpayer expense, there is not
enough bandwidth available for such postings.


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