Re: is Ada dying?(Perhaps a CPAN network is in order?)

["McDoobie" <chris@dont.spam.me>]

In article <9pr8gu0tnf@drn.newsguy.com>, Robert*@
<Robert_member@newsguy.com> wrote:

>  
> Ada as a language is good. Better than C/C++ or Java.
> 
> What Ada needs is a standard or at least a psudo-standard set of
> auxilary packages that come well documented (HTML) and ready to plug in
> and use (similar to that Java huge standard library).
> 
> Untill this happens, Ada will remain a good language, few admirars,
> little  used and nothing more.
> 
> I am taking about packages for doing all sort of usefull pratical
> things, like those found in Java packages. 
> 
> ACT has been doing a good job of Adding usefull packages to its GNAT
> package, but it is still very much too little compared to what Java has,
> and with no way to for others to help add to it.
> 
> With Ada, the case now is that if you want a package to do something,
> you go and do some search on the web, find some bits and pieces of code,
> download, try to build, and see if that will work or not.   With Java, I
> download the JDK, and everything is there. Well documented, and ready to
> use. 
>  
> Having a central single place to get things from is a Good Thing (tm).
> Examples of such things
> 
> http://www.sunfreeware.com/   <--- Want any solaris package? go here
> http://java.sun.com    <---  Want the JDK? go here
> http://www.gnu.org/software/java/  <--- Want the GNU java collection? go
> here http://www.gjt.org/  <--- want the Giant Java tree collection? go
> here
> 
> etc..
> 
> Anyway, my point is that, Ada needs such a centalized, single place, to
> get standard usefull packages from. 
> 
>  
> 

Perhaps a distribution system similar to Perl's CPAN is in order.

Agreed, Java does appear to have alot more libraries and documentation
than Ada. I wonder if this is because it actually does have more, or
because the Ada information is so scattered about the Internet that it
takes forever to find it.

I know a good search of DoD specs and standards turns up alot of
information. Also the  LRM and Rationale does a pretty exhaustive job of
explaining the language itself. The only weakness I see in this regard is
a lack of libraries.

Now that I'm finally getting a good handle on OOP and Ada programming, I
plan on writing and  contributing my own libs to the Ada world. Everything
from bindings to Enlightenment and OpenGL, to hooks into languages such as
Ruby, Python, and Icon. Problem is, this is alot of work, even in Ada95,
to get right. 

Perhaps if some of the gurus around here would like to team up and create
a CPAN like  repository, we could really make some headway in this area.
If you dont, I'll beat you to the punch. Only thing holding me back right
now is money. Being a UPS loading dock grunt with college bills to pay is
taking it's toll. Nevertheless, I enjoy using Ada, and as soon as I'm
caught up on the money issue, expect see me working on this issue quite
extensively.

With all that being said, what kind of libraries would you folks say are
most needed to encourage more widespread use and acceptance of Ada, and
preferably Ada95? 

Would a CPAN like repository work well?

Perhaps a version of CVS custom tailored to Ada95 programming practices
would help?

I dont know for sure. As I said...I'm just now finally getting the hang of
it.(Ada95)


Hope I dont sound stupid. ;->

McDoobie Chris (chris@dont.spam.me)