Re: Newbie Needs Ada Advice

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

ezkcdude <zamir.evan@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm interested in using Ada, so I installed the GNAT compiler on
> Windows (tried on Mac, but I had problems with X11). Anyway, I want to
> dive in head-first, and my main question is how do you guys write
> programs with GUIs? Do you use the gdk toolkit primarily? Also, the
> application I eventually have in mind is for automated control of a
> microscope, so I need to be able to interface with drivers/serial
> ports/firewire/etc. Do you have any advice for me to help me along?

My advice would be to be a bit cautious with advice from c.l.a.:
People there tend to advocate Ada and therefore are slightly prone to
overlook problems with tools, libraries and (dare I say it) licenses.

This is not bad will, but basically a problem of perspective: You will
find threads that end with: "I don't have that problem" ... "Well, I'm
using my employers infrastructure, we've licensed Gnat Pro". Then the
discussion starts, why it is "not an option" for you to license Gnat
Pro.

> Thanks! Looks like a nice newsgroup to visit.

It certainly is a nice newsgroup, with a number of technically really
savy people. But a bit biased in some respects, so be cautious WRT
strategic advice (like: what is a problem, what isn't, what are the
payoffs or disadvantages of decisions, what you "should" be doing). At
the end of the day your decisions are your own responsibility and
"some guy at the usenet told me" is rarely a good rationale and hardly
a good excuse.

Better do some (additional) research of your own (and document your
findings and your rationales, just in case you have to justify your
decisions some time).


Regards -- Markus