Re: IBM Acquires Rational Ada

[Ed Cogburn <ecogburn@xtn.net>]

Richard Riehle wrote:
> "Warren W. Gay VE3WWG" wrote:
> 
> 
>>But consider the challenges of a Windows programmer that wants to write his
>>application in Ada:
>>
>>  - A user interface beyond tty (console) mode is required (text or GUI)
>>  - Database access is required (very few serious applications can do
>>    without this).
>>  - O/S interfaces (e.g. printing and registry)
>>  - Network APIs
> 
> 
> Some of this list is easily dealt with.   I believe a serious Windows
> developer would use CLAW for the GUI.    However, the database
> issue is more serious.
> 
> We once had AdaSage for good database support, but that has vanished
> from the landscape.   There was a company in Santa Clara, CA that
> once developed a full relational database in Ada for Ada, but that has
> also vanished.   Oracle seems to have de-escalated support for Ada,
> and I'm not sure of the status of other database bindings that once
> existed.
> 
> So, if someone were to create a database product in Ada for Ada, would
> there be a market for it?  Oh, I see.  We distribute it via the FSF under the
> GPL.  Who can afford the time to do that.  Most Ada programmers I know
> are working full-time jobs and don't have the luxury of creating free
> software.

[snip]

Who had the time to write all the Free software out there now?  I think 
Steve_H's point is to get an Ada compiler out there as a "standard" component 
of GCC, available on most systems (on Debian Linux the compiler, RTL, curses 
binding, socket bindings, database/mySQL bindings, and GtkAda are parts of the 
main distribution, although not installed by default, so you don't need to go 
looking elsewhere), and let this new-found accessibility and presense 
kickstart the kind of development that will lead to the tools needed to take 
Ada mainstream.  I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for GNAT becoming 
integrated into GCC 3.2, which is what led me to take a closer look.  If you 
look just at the commercial side, the situation probably is grim, I'm not 
familar with it, but SteveH's post near the beginning of this thread wasn't 
referring to the commercial market.  Perhaps Ada will have to succeed in the 
Free/Opensource software community first before it can make a comeback on the 
commercial side?  Or are you saying the commercial side is already lost for good?