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=-0.8 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_DATE autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,e4bb8b12e1ce0d1f X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 1994-10-02 09:07:42 PST Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Path: bga.com!news.sprintlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!jussieu.fr!univ-lyon1.fr!swidir.switch.ch!newsfeed.ACO.net!Austria.EU.net!EU.net!uunet!world!srctran From: srctran@world.std.com (Gregory Aharonian) Subject: Re: Is Ada the Future? In-Reply-To: stt@dsd.camb.inmet.com's message of Sun, 2 Oct 1994 12:09:53 GMT Message-ID: Sender: srctran@world.std.com (Gregory Aharonian) Organization: The World References: Date: Sun, 2 Oct 1994 17:05:11 GMT Date: 1994-10-02T17:05:11+00:00 List-Id: > The key to the success of Ada 9X, IMHO, is >to leverage the work being done in other languages, and not >try to reinvent the wheel completely. Brilliant point Tucker. For example, I know of a product line in the C world where this strategy can be applied. This company sells a developing environment for the 68XXX world that includes: - Real Time Executive - Windows Cross-Debugger for PC or Sun - Optimizing C Compiler - Windows Integrated Development Environment - TCP/IP, ASYNCH, SDLC, LAPD Communications Support - Support for BDM and In-Circuit Emulators - Host Kernel Simulation Tools - Royalty Free Run-Time Use - Attractive price at $8,500 for the Environment Seems to me , Tucker, that such a embedded programming environment would be an ideal candidate for being extended from C to also handle Ada, "leveraging the work being done in other language". As it is, Ada could use some good commercial embedded development environments as good as this company's product sounds. However, as sound as your idea is, what inducements are there for any company to make such an investment, especially if it is very uncertain if there will be an return on their investment? Everyone in the Mandated world keeps on forgetting that people in the private sector view participation in any Ada DualUse movement as an investment expecting a return, and worse, a return greater than the return if they exist in their current technology lines. To determine if investing in Ada will provide a greater return than investing in their existing technology lines is a very tricky calculation, made more complicated but the lack of any data to extrapolate from (yet one more downside of DISA's negligence in measuring Ada use anywhere). I assume that the above referenced company has at least occasionally thought about extending their product lines with Ada, and each time rejected the idea as fiscally irresponsible. If this goes on at many other tool firms, Ada Dual Use will go nowhere, since it is obvious that the DoD has no interest in investing in a serious Ada commercialization campaign (i.e. to give the reputable professionals at DISA as much money as they give the non-Ada lovers at ARPA - tens and hundreds of millions of dollars). So Tucker, next time you propose a strategy, GO ASK THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF INTERMETRICS WHY THEY DON'T WANT TO INCLUDE ADA IN THIS $8500 C SYSTEM YOU GUYS ADVERTISE IN THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF EMBEDDED SYSTEMS PROGRAMMING. If Intermetrics won't invest in Ada commercial products, why the hell should anyone else, especially all those who have never received Ada monies from the DoD? Greg Aharonian