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=-0.4 required=5.0 tests=AC_FROM_MANY_DOTS,BAYES_00 autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,a1ce307c10055549 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2002-12-13 05:15:01 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!arclight.uoregon.edu!wn14feed!wn12feed!wn11feed!worldnet.att.net!207.217.77.102!newsfeed2.earthlink.net!newsfeed.earthlink.net!stamper.news.pas.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!harp.news.atl.earthlink.net!not-for-mail From: "Marin David Condic" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: IBM Acquires Rational Ada Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 08:07:08 -0500 Organization: MindSpring Enterprises Message-ID: References: <3DF1615C.7AAAC86E@adaworks.com> <3DF1B042.6603DDDE@easystreet.com> <3DF2A483.EC512CDF@adaworks.com> <8db3d6c8.0212091445.12594821@posting.google.com> <3DF628C4.7090607@cogeco.ca> <3DF8D8BF.9020606@cogeco.ca> <3DF978DE.B4C2A2C1@adaworks.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: d1.56.a0.7a X-Server-Date: 13 Dec 2002 13:07:47 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:31785 Date: 2002-12-13T13:07:47+00:00 List-Id: 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 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? >