Re: Debugger Rant (was Re: How to debug an Ada program)

[aek@vib.usr.pu.ru (Alexander Kopilovitch)]

Robert I. Eachus wrote:

> > While a debugger may not be needed as much in
> > Ada (and certainly not as much for the simpler problems) as in other languages, it
> > is an indispensable tool in complex Ada applications, especially in the real-time,
> > embedded world.

> Shurg!  I guess I have internalized a style of programming once known as 
> "Design to test."  In other words, all (formal) requirements are 
> testable, and you design and code from day one to make passing those 
> tests as easy as possible.

While being absolutely true, this is surprisingly hard to remember.
Every time when I read this position I wholeheartly agree with it;
moreover, several times I tried it (at least partially) in practice,
and in each case a reward was excellent... and nevertheless, I'm unable
to keep it in mind and apply regularly. And I know well that I'm not
alone with this strange kind of "disability". Why it is happened, and
how one can "internalize this style of programming" (using your words) ?


Alexander Kopilovitch                      aek@vib.usr.pu.ru
Saint-Petersburg
Russia

PS. After writing above words, one fantastic vision occured to me - I imagined
Web-based master class - yours, "Programming using Ada". Why not? You have
tremendous experience, rock solid skills and views, you are alive to hidden
errors and potentially dangerous solutions, you are apparently willing to
share your knowledge, and you don't like to write books and articles
(I searched the Net and found only one your article, and it was on quite
specific issue). This is extremely suitable combination for a master class
instructor. Well, I understand that one more component is needed - there
should be example problems, and it isn't a simple/pleasant task to collect
good ones. But my vision included even this side - in the form of real-world
examples from several first chapters of the book "Problem Frames: Analyzing
and Structuring Software Development Problems" by Michael Jackson.