Re: IBM Acquires Rational Ada

["Marin David Condic" <mcondic.auntie.spam@acm.org>]

Well, one thing might be to not look backwards at what has been done already
and ask what direction the future holds? For example, you bring up
databases. I agree that it would be *really* slick if Ada compilers were to
come with some sort of database available. But how do we get the money to
build something like that? The government? But they don't want to fund Ada
development, do they? O.K. Don't tell them its for Ada.

Is there someone out there who has a researchy kind of thing that applies to
databases? One with a twist that isn't currently being addressed? Something
beyond "relational"? Something new and innovative that doesn't say "Me
Too!!!"?

Suppose a research proposal were to be written up to implement the XYZ
database that has the PDQ capability that is going to add some significant
benefit to the world and perhaps spin off new commercial products. Suppose
that part of the research proposal is that when the research is done, the
software will be put under the GPL and made available to the world in a way
similar to GNAT. Suppose further that the developers just so happen to
decide that Ada is the best language in which to build this database
thingie. Whoops! There's a new database that can be marketed along with your
garden variety Ada compiler! :-)

I think we need to be creative and dream up capabilities for Ada that are
*not* mere duplicates of what everyone else has. If it is too costly to do
with a handful of guys as a part-time thing, then maybe we need to get
creative about how it gets funded as well. I don't know about the rest of
the world, but I'd always be willing to sit down and talk about potential
products that might have the beneficial side-effect of improving Ada usage
and try to figure out the mechanisms by which they could be built/marketed.
I could always use a good tilt at some windmills somewhere. :-)

MDC
--
======================================================================
Marin David Condic
I work for: http://www.belcan.com/
My project is: http://www.jast.mil/

Send Replies To: m c o n d i c @ a c m . o r g

    "I'd trade it all for just a little more"
        --  Charles Montgomery Burns, [4F10]
======================================================================

Richard Riehle <richard@adaworks.com> wrote in message
news:3DF978DE.B4C2A2C1@adaworks.com...
>
> What can we do to fix this?   How can we take a superior language
> technology, one for which compilers are now in the affordable
> range, and make available the necessary tools, at reasonable
> prices, to make it a more attractive alternative?
>