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: fdb77,5f529c91be2ac930 X-Google-Attributes: gidfdb77,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,583275b6950bf4e6 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-Thread: 1108a1,59ec73856b699922 X-Google-Attributes: gid1108a1,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2003-05-10 07:52:31 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!cyclone.bc.net!sjc70.webusenet.com!news.webusenet.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.java.advocacy,comp.object,comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Using Ada for device drivers? (Was: the Ada mandate, and why it collapsed and died) Date: Sat, 10 May 2003 10:51:56 -0400 Organization: MindSpring Enterprises Message-ID: References: <9fa75d42.0304230424.10612b1a@posting.google.com><3EA7E0E3.8020407@crs4.it> <9fa75d42.0304240950.45114a39@posting.google.com><4a885870.0304291909.300765f@posting.google.com><416273D61ACF7FEF.82C1D1AC17296926.FF0BFD4934A03813@lp.airnews.net><9fa75d42.0305010621.55e99deb@posting.google.com><9fa75d42.0305090937.2bbe1238@posting.google.com> <5s29SIA1KKv+EwcU@nildram.co.uk> NNTP-Posting-Host: d1.56.b8.72 X-Server-Date: 10 May 2003 14:52:31 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.java.advocacy:63480 comp.object:63163 comp.lang.ada:37150 Date: 2003-05-10T14:52:31+00:00 List-Id: While I agree with the sentiment here, I ought to toss out a couple of cautionary notes. First off, remember that most software projects don't have the lifespan of your typical DoD project. The programming for this year's model of VCR or Accounting Package or Video Game can become pretty much obsolete within one to two years. The programming for the JSF engine control will pretty much have to stick around for 30 or more years. In the former case "Time To Market" is everything, so you'd better look at development leverage and to hell with long term cost of ownership. In the latter case, the metal-benders will still be trying to figure out how to cut a turbine blade while you're getting a part number for the first validated release of your software, so you need not worry about development leverage so much as the long term costs of cutting software releases over 30 years. Another cautionary note is that all too often we engineers tend to see a cost savings in some area and latch onto that as if it were the whole picture. I believe that Ada saves long-term development and maintenance costs because I've seen the metrics to demonstrate this within the realm I deal in. However, the maintenance is not the *only* factor in the whole economic equation, and I have seen other software developments in other disciplines where this can be shown to be minimal in comparison to other cost drivers. Hence we need to always be careful to do a real assessment of all the costs and not assume that Ada is an automatic winner. Ada can often lose because it doesn't provide as much leverage or costs more to get the support tools needed. You need to do the math. 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 ====================================================================== Tom Welsh wrote in message news:5s29SIA1KKv+EwcU@nildram.co.uk... > > One of the main reasons for the whole Ada initiative was to reduce the > cost of the whole software lifecycle - not just initial development. But > because that TCO is so hard to measure, Ada has not been given credit > for reducing it. >