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=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,9b30240b5a381bbf X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2002-08-23 00:17:06 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!syros.belnet.be!news.belnet.be!psinet-eu-nl!psiuk-p4!uknet!psiuk-p3!uknet!psiuk-n!news.pace.co.uk!nh.pace.co.uk!not-for-mail From: "Marin D. Condic" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Ada 95 for an ARM-based bare board? Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2002 09:49:54 -0400 Organization: Posted on a server owned by Pace Micro Technology plc Message-ID: References: <5ee5b646.0208191613.21291d5@posting.google.com> <7vptwccqfs.fsf@vlinux.voxelvision.no> <7vlm70cqcz.fsf@vlinux.voxelvision.no> <5ee5b646.0208211132.6c283ef0@posting.google.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: dhcp-200-180.miami.pace.co.uk X-Trace: nh.pace.co.uk 1030024200 23227 136.170.200.180 (22 Aug 2002 13:50:00 GMT) X-Complaints-To: newsmaster@news.cam.pace.co.uk NNTP-Posting-Date: 22 Aug 2002 13:50:00 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:28333 Date: 2002-08-22T13:50:00+00:00 List-Id: "Juha Valimaki" wrote in message news:ak21k5$lfj$1@phys-news1.kolumbus.fi... > > The situation would be very different if there was "GNAT like" tool > available for, lets say, 2000 USD or less for each major platform. No > project/Ada support, just binaries, manuals and bug fixes. That would be an > easy choice! Even better if the company developing that tool said they are > actually interested in supporting "mass market" use of Ada... (To actually > get the "mass market" there would have to be IMO more visibility for cool > Ada projects and maybe 1000 USD price tag (?)) > But then they would likely be canibalizing their existing business. Do you think that perhaps there might be companies out there reasoning like this: "I need an Ada compiler and I need support in the form of regular updates and bug fixes. I don't really need telephone support or rapid turn around on bug reports, but I really need at least the full, latest&greatest package with updates. The only way I can get this is with ACT's premium support package, so I cough up the cash." That pays the freight to keep ACT's head above water and development of Gnat actively going on. Now suppose there were a lower tier product out there from ACT. Might the reasoning be this: "Let some other company pay the premium support package. I don't really need telephone support or rapid turn around on bug reports. I'll just take the monthly or quarterly updates & bug fixes that I get with the low end package..." Pretty soon some big sector of the market has dropped their premium support contracts for economy packages and there's not enough money coming in to keep ACT alive. What happens to Gnat at that point? There is a lot more that goes into effective business decision making than just guessing that someone will buy a product at a given price. You have to do some strategic analysis of the market to base your business on a sustainable model. MDC -- Marin David Condic Senior Software Engineer Pace Micro Technology Americas www.pacemicro.com Enabling Digital. Our Vision is to be the biggest supplier worldwide of digital gateway technology. www.pacemicro.com