Re: Way OT: Adam Smith and Software Markets

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

O.K. I can live with that. Given that one needs to ask what "Better" means
to the programming language consumer.

So C/C++ may be "better" because there is a huge installed base of software
out there that can be used to gain leverage in building apps. Or perhaps it
is a matter of familiarity the programmers have with the language. Or maybe
it is the availability of lots of tools for developing in those languages.
Or the low cost of compilers. Or infrastructure of home-grown support tools.
Or availability of compilers for target hardware. Or combinations of all of
the above and probably a few more.

The point is that Ada standing around saying "I'm *technically* better than
C/C++/Java/Whatever..." is ignoring what it is that the *consumer* of
programming languages thinks is "better" and may be interested in buying. I
suspect that if Ada had a large library of utility code, a slick IDE, a GUI
and maybe some support tools it might find less resistance because it would
be addressing more of what the consumer wants to buy. Right now, it is not
"better" in the minds of many because other languages are doing a better job
of offering development leverage to the consumer.

One ignores Adam Smith at one's peril. Its sort of like ignoring gravity.

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

Georg Bauhaus <sb463ba@d2-hrz.uni-duisburg.de> wrote in message
news:b42vm6$24u$2@a1-hrz.uni-duisburg.de...
>
> Well, certainly we may choose our word processors, as well as
> programming languages, but your original statement said that
> the (not really existent smithonian) free market will let the
> better product win, with better not specifically defined. Now
> saying that the better product is the one with the preferable
> qualities you mentioned will clearly make both C and Visual
> Basic better programming languages that Ada.
>