Re: ? A 'pocket' Ada please?

[dewar@merv.cs.nyu.edu (Robert Dewar)]

Alexander asks

<<Could someone plese give me a pointer to a small 16-bit DOS
implementation of Ada (I have seen an ancient Artek Ada 1.25--is there
any shareware/freeware/commercial package like that available anywhere?)
I have programmed in many languages but now need to couch myself
in Ada to get a job. The problem is that the installed PC base
in the sector I work in are mostly humble 286s and XTs.
Does anyone know of a new Artek implementation, or could anyone
put me in contact with someone who knows?>>

There are no shareware/freeware 286 compilers. There are some commercial
compilers that you might be able to dig up, but as soon as you start
talking about paying $$$ for a compiler, you will probably do better
to spend the $$$ on a 386 machine (minimally), and run GNAT.

XT's are perhaps worth $20 for the parts these days, and 286 machines
perhaps $50. You should be able to pick up a 386 based machine for
less than $200 in a configuration that would minimally support GNAT,
and for perhaps $400 you should be able to get a brand new 486
machine that would adequately support GNAT.

Note that this approach has the advantage that you will be learning
the current version of Ada, rather than the obsolete Ada 83 version
(no Ada 95 compiler is currently available for 286 based machines).