Re: An Ada Advice Inquiry

[Markus E Leypold <development-2006-8ecbb5cc8aREMOVETHIS@ANDTHATm-e-leypold.de>]

<adaworks@sbcglobal.net> writes:

> "Markus E Leypold" <development-2006-8ecbb5cc8aREMOVETHIS@ANDTHATm-e-leypold.de> 
> wrote in message news:8x4pmtndtj.fsf@hod.lan.m-e-leypold.de...
>>
>> <adaworks@sbcglobal.net> writes:
>>
>>> Is anyone out there really choosing it for new software projects?
>>
>> Me. (And I'm not talking about hobbyist stuff).
>>
> Any chance of details?   I realize that there is often an issue
> of confidentiality, so I don't want to ask you compromise
> that.    However, some general information would be helpful.

I'll consider it. It's not so much confidentiality, but rather the
point that I've not made the best experiences with using Ada for that
kind of program (or mentioning Ada when bidding on a contract). Part
of my suggestions in c.l.a. that Ada hast lost its ecological niche
stem from considerations what could have gone better with that
project.

But as soon as I go into talking about that, people here will come and
try to disprove me, forcing me to go deeper and deeper into details --
and at the same time opening myself up to allegations (a) that I
wouldn't know Ada good enough, (b) that my process would be all wrong
and (c) that I wouldn't know my tools -- allegations that can never be
disproved in usenet and are rather hurtful to what I consider my
professional standing.

So I'll think about it, but I don't care to brand my product as a
failure (it works very well for my customer, though).

By the way, the same applies to any attempt "to discuss" anything on
usenet: I can hardly argue, i.e. that C++ is inferior, w/o being
accused by somebody (typically Hyman Rosen) that I don't have a clue
and that I would be "confused".

Then, next time I know, a prospective client for a C++ project will
google for me and find those postings: And guess what -- the attitude
will not be one of "he knows what he's talking about, so he sees the
disadvantages of C++", but rather "he seems to have a problem with X,
so probably he's not the best man for this project".

As honourable as your attempt to gather information via usenet is: I
doubt you get significant data this way: I gues it is rather risky for
anyone with a professional reputation to loose, to participate in
discussions of the merits or dismerits of languages or operating
systems (except perhaps by really researching some kind of scientific
study with enough sources to bolster any claim, but then usenet is not
the audience to publish it).

(And against the trolls you always end with egg in your face anyway,
 since they got more time and never commit to a single claim that
 could be proven, disproven or even discussed to the end in a
 scholastic manner. The "but-what-about" style of argument is rather
 typical for that.)

Don't hesitate to write to me by personal mail, if you want to get
some more information on the project in question, but I'll almost
certainly ask for confidentiality in that case, not for the clients
sake, but for my own.

Regards -- Markus