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,da628a7f8aa21693 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2003-02-10 04:44:55 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!peernews-us.colt.net!newsfeed.news2me.com!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: Seeking advice Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 07:44:25 -0500 Organization: MindSpring Enterprises Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: d1.56.b5.cb X-Server-Date: 10 Feb 2003 12:44:55 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:33954 Date: 2003-02-10T12:44:55+00:00 List-Id: Jeffrey Creem wrote in message news:Rjs1a.41363$2H6.1100@sccrnsc04... > > 3. Is interest in ADA increasing/remaining steady/decreasing? For > example, > > will ADA still have significant support in, say, five years? > > Support in 5 years..Yes.. Increasing/Decressing.. Unclear..Within 5 years > Sun will be gone. Java will be a memory. Everyone will be using .Net and C# > (or A# :).... Ok..I have no way of knowing this but I think there is a > better chance that there will be significant Ada support available in 5 > years than there is that Sun will be around and strong. > Its impossible to know the future, but you've got to figure that there are enough large-scale, long lived projects done in Ada that it isn't going to go away any time soon. With GNAT out there in source form, support becomes less of an issue because you can always do it yourself or pay someone to do it for you if you really find a desparate need. (O.K., it gets more expensive, but you are not high & dry.) Besides, I really don't know why there is such a hand wringing over support anyway. You typically may need *some* support in the early stages of a project but once the project matures, you're not in trouble with an unsupported product because you aren't doing much but tweaking and fixing things anyway. If you're constantly starting new jobs in Ada, then hey, you're the customer base keeping the supporting companies alive! :-) Besides, it would seem that we've been getting increased traffic on this newsgroup over time so maybe Ada is on an upswing? > > > 4. Are there any graphics libraries which are supported on multiple > > platforms (preferably Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris)? > > GtkAda...But if you really mean supported then we start talking some more > cash with some expensive support contracts. > That depends on what the meaning of the word "Graphics Libraries" is... GtkAda is going to be pretty suitable for building GUIs and maybe some light duty 2D kind of drawing (although I've never used it for that, so I can't say for sure...) If someone wants to do some kind of slick, 3D animations and the like, I'm pretty sure GtkAda is going to fall short. If there is a need for more sophisticated graphics, Ada should be able to bind to most commercial libraries that are out there. Its possible commercial vendors may have bindings already built. That's kind of a lousy answer because the interface may be very unnatural for Ada and it creates more work and means you're always lagging behind with new releases of the library. If you get enough advantages from Ada on the rest of the app, it may be worth biting the bullet on the graphics library. 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 "Going cold turkey isn't as delicious as it sounds." -- H. Simpson ======================================================================