Re: Using Ada for device drivers? (Was: the Ada mandate, and why it collapsed and died)

[Vinzent Hoefler <ada.rocks@jlfencey.com>]

softeng3456@netscape.net (soft-eng) wrote:

>Yes.  OO solves the problem using a new model.

And introduces new ones as well... instead of tracing a function with
the debugger like one did in the old days, we now look at an
inheritance graph and try to guess which method may do the unexpected
thing the customer encountered. :)

>  Ada solves
>the problem by collecting numerous small solutions.

Not exactly. Ada95 has complete OO, although its syntax might be a
little bit, mmh... unusual[0] (but this has even other advantages) -
but it still has all the type information features that makes portable
and dynamic (in the sense of requirements changes) programming much
more easier.

I may state John Barnes from his "High Integrity Software" talking
about the lack of enumeration types in Java (but this applies to C++
as well because the enumeration model there is still just based on
integer constants):

"The wave of enthusiasm for Object Orientation (OO) in all its dynamic
glory (which indeed has its uses but by its very dynamic nature can
create difficult problems) appears to have caused other established
language features to be neglected with the consequence that many
programmers no longer have the benefits of simple language-based
debugging aids."

I think, he's right. My question would be: What use is OOP when the
only objects I can have are chars, ints and doubles?


[0] Well, let's talk about the syntax of Smalltalk, then... ;-) 


Vinzent.

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