Is there any other forum for Ada?

Is there any other forum for Ada?

[tclwarrior]

Hi

I googled, and this is the only Ada forum that I found
Is there any other active forum 

I would like to discuss, some ... non technical topics about Ada
I am learning Ada out of curiosity, and while I doubt that I will ever
use it at work

I still would like to learn more about its commercial license

I read some comments on HN (Hackernews) that warn about Adacore 
and that their commercial license is too expensive (this kinda make sense
since Ada is now a niche product), but how expensive is too expensive 

I visited the Adacore website, and the fact that prices are not publicly available 
and that pricing is per platform, per library etc ... is not promising to say the least 

Should I really worry about Adacore and the commercial licensing cost? 

I would also like to ask about general stuff, like is there a roadmap for Ada, is there plans for Ada2020 for example, what are the new features planned for newer Ada releases?

Anyway, is there a forum where I cant discuss these things without feeling guilty
This forum, seems too technically focused, and I dont want to .. waste anyone's time 

Thanks
Ali

Re: Is there any other forum for Ada?

[Andrew Shvets]

On Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 3:42:30 PM UTC-4, tclwa...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I googled, and this is the only Ada forum that I found
> Is there any other active forum 
> 
> I would like to discuss, some ... non technical topics about Ada
> I am learning Ada out of curiosity, and while I doubt that I will ever
> use it at work
> 
> I still would like to learn more about its commercial license
> 
> I read some comments on HN (Hackernews) that warn about Adacore 
> and that their commercial license is too expensive (this kinda make sense
> since Ada is now a niche product), but how expensive is too expensive 
> 
> I visited the Adacore website, and the fact that prices are not publicly available 
> and that pricing is per platform, per library etc ... is not promising to say the least 
> 
> Should I really worry about Adacore and the commercial licensing cost? 
> 
> I would also like to ask about general stuff, like is there a roadmap for Ada, is there plans for Ada2020 for example, what are the new features planned for newer Ada releases?
> 
> Anyway, is there a forum where I cant discuss these things without feeling guilty
> This forum, seems too technically focused, and I dont want to .. waste anyone's time 
> 
> Thanks
> Ali

Stackoverflow is another option, but you have to be very technical there, from my experience.

As for AdaCore, they do offer an open source product that I use:
http://libre.adacore.com/

Re: Is there any other forum for Ada?

[Niklas Holsti]

On 17-10-29 21:42 , tclwarrior@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi
>
> I googled, and this is the only Ada forum that I found
> Is there any other active forum

Answers to some of your questions can be found on the Ada Information 
Clearinghouse website, www.adaic.org.

> I still would like to learn more about its commercial license
   ...
> Should I really worry about Adacore and the commercial licensing cost?

You should contact AdaCore, explain your needs, even if still 
hypothetical, and get an offer.

But note that (a) there are other commercially available Ada compilers, 
some quite inexpensive; (b) there is a free version of GNAT from the 
Free Software Foundation that is not limited to GPL SW, and is part of 
several Linux distributions, as well as available on MS Windows; and (c) 
there is a version of GNAT from AdaCore that is free but limited to GPL 
SW (GNAT GPL).

> I would also like to ask about general stuff, like
> is there a roadmap for Ada,

Yes, to some extent. But compatibility and continuity are considered 
important for Ada, so there are limits on the kind of changes that can 
be made, and still call the result "Ada".

> is there plans for Ada2020 for example,

Yes.

>what are the new features planned for newer Ada releases?

Subscribe to the ada-comment mailing list 
(http://www.adaic.org/2017/08/community-input-for-ada/) and browse the 
"Ada Issues" database (http://www.ada-auth.org/ais.html).

> Anyway, is there a forum where I cant discuss these things without feeling guilty

I, at least, would welcome discussion of these issues here.

-- 
Niklas Holsti
Tidorum Ltd
niklas holsti tidorum fi
       .      @       .

Re: Is there any other forum for Ada?

[Andrew Shvets]

On Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 4:26:28 PM UTC-4, Niklas Holsti wrote:
> On 17-10-29 21:42 , tcl......@gmail.com wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > I googled, and this is the only Ada forum that I found
> > Is there any other active forum
> 
> Answers to some of your questions can be found on the Ada Information 
> Clearinghouse website, www.adaic.org.
> 
> > I still would like to learn more about its commercial license
>    ...
> > Should I really worry about Adacore and the commercial licensing cost?
> 
> You should contact AdaCore, explain your needs, even if still 
> hypothetical, and get an offer.
> 
> But note that (a) there are other commercially available Ada compilers, 
> some quite inexpensive; (b) there is a free version of GNAT from the 
> Free Software Foundation that is not limited to GPL SW, and is part of 
> several Linux distributions, as well as available on MS Windows; and (c) 
> there is a version of GNAT from AdaCore that is free but limited to GPL 
> SW (GNAT GPL).
> 
> > I would also like to ask about general stuff, like
> > is there a roadmap for Ada,
> 
> Yes, to some extent. But compatibility and continuity are considered 
> important for Ada, so there are limits on the kind of changes that can 
> be made, and still call the result "Ada".
> 
> > is there plans for Ada2020 for example,
> 
> Yes.
> 
> >what are the new features planned for newer Ada releases?
> 
> Subscribe to the ada-comment mailing list 
> (http://www.adaic.org/2017/08/community-input-for-ada/) and browse the 
> "Ada Issues" database (http://www.ada-auth.org/ais.html).
> 
> > Anyway, is there a forum where I cant discuss these things without feeling guilty
> 
> I, at least, would welcome discussion of these issues here.
> 
> -- 
> Niklas Holsti
> Tidorum Ltd
> niklas holsti tidorum fi
>        .      @       .

I've seen all sorts of questions being asked on this mailing list.  From the very simple to some very complex topics.  I see no reason why he can't ask his questions here.

Re: Is there any other forum for Ada?

[Simon Wright]

Niklas Holsti <niklas.holsti@tidorum.invalid> writes:

> (b) there is a free version of GNAT from the Free Software Foundation
> that is not limited to GPL SW, and is part of several Linux
> distributions, as well as available on MS Windows

and macOS

Re: Is there any other forum for Ada?

[gautier_niouzes]

> Is there any other active forum

You can have a look here: 
https://plus.google.com/communities/102688015980369378804

> I still would like to learn more about its commercial license

AdaCore is one of several makers of tools for the Ada language.

Regarding AdaCore (maker of GNAT), there are several options as well.
Roughly:
- @ AdaCore: the GNAT GPL distribution, which is free; you can use it at work as long as the GPL license is respected (if your software goes "outside", the sources should follow the same path)
- @ AdaCore: GNAT Pro (no GPL limitation, support)
- versions of GNAT not built/packaged/distributed by AdaCore; you may find most of them there: http://getadanow.com/

HTH

Gautier
_____________________________________________________________
A free online game in Ada: http://pasta.phyrama.com/game.html

Re: Is there any other forum for Ada?

[Jeffrey R. Carter]

On 10/29/2017 08:42 PM, tclwarrior@gmail.com wrote:
> 
> Anyway, is there a forum where I cant discuss these things without feeling guilty
> This forum, seems too technically focused, and I dont want to .. waste anyone's time

Anything relating to Ada, including those you mentioned, may be discussed 
without guilt on c.l.a.

-- 
Jeff Carter
"Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam!"
Monty Python's Flying Circus
53

Re: Is there any other forum for Ada?

[Paul Rubin]

tclwarrior@gmail.com writes:
> I read some comments on HN (Hackernews) that warn about Adacore 
> and that their commercial license is too expensive (this kinda make sense
> since Ada is now a niche product), but how expensive is too expensive 

I heard a while back that commercial Adacore licenses start around $25K
for 5 developers, way outside hobbyist range.  Even if those numbers are
wrong, it's somewhere on that scale.  You probably want to use one of
the free (GPL) versions instead.  They use the same compiler but lack
some of the add-on packages and and come with no support from the
vendor.  Some others here have already posted links about where to find
them.  They work fine.

While there are other Ada compilers as well, I think GNAT may still be
the only implementation of Ada 2012, which is more interesting than the
earlier versions IMHO.

> Anyway, is there a forum where I cant discuss these things without
> feeling guilty

I'd say go ahead and post here.

Re: Is there any other forum for Ada?

[Lucretia]

On Sunday, 29 October 2017 19:42:30 UTC, tclwa...@gmail.com  wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I googled, and this is the only Ada forum that I found
> Is there any other active forum 

There is #Ada on Freenode.

> I would like to discuss, some ... non technical topics about Ada
> I am learning Ada out of curiosity, and while I doubt that I will ever
> use it at work
> 
> I still would like to learn more about its commercial license

You can use the FSF GNAT commercially for free.
 
> Should I really worry about Adacore and the commercial licensing cost? 

Nah, just avoid their GPL'd compiler version and their GPL'd libs in anything you do commercially.
 
> I would also like to ask about general stuff, like is there a roadmap for Ada, is there plans for Ada2020 for example, what are the new features planned for newer Ada releases?

There is an Ada Issues for 2012 database on which details amendments for 2020, including parallel loops and blocks.

> Anyway, is there a forum where I cant discuss these things without feeling guilty
> This forum, seems too technically focused, and I dont want to .. waste anyone's time 

Have you seen some of the posts on here? I wouldn't worry about that.

Luke.

Re: Is there any other forum for Ada?

[Andrew Shvets]

On Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 6:42:35 PM UTC-4, Lucretia wrote:
> On Sunday, 29 October 2017 19:42:30 UTC, tclwa...@gmail.com  wrote:
> > Hi
> > 
> > I googled, and this is the only Ada forum that I found
> > Is there any other active forum 
> 
> There is #Ada on Freenode.
> 
> > I would like to discuss, some ... non technical topics about Ada
> > I am learning Ada out of curiosity, and while I doubt that I will ever
> > use it at work
> > 
> > I still would like to learn more about its commercial license
> 
> You can use the FSF GNAT commercially for free.
>  
> > Should I really worry about Adacore and the commercial licensing cost? 
> 
> Nah, just avoid their GPL'd compiler version and their GPL'd libs in anything you do commercially.
>  
> > I would also like to ask about general stuff, like is there a roadmap for Ada, is there plans for Ada2020 for example, what are the new features planned for newer Ada releases?
> 
> There is an Ada Issues for 2012 database on which details amendments for 2020, including parallel loops and blocks.
> 
> > Anyway, is there a forum where I cant discuss these things without feeling guilty
> > This forum, seems too technically focused, and I dont want to .. waste anyone's time 
> 
> Have you seen some of the posts on here? I wouldn't worry about that.
> 
> Luke.

I wrote an intro Ada book last year.  Here it is:
https://www.amazon.com/Introductory-Ada-Programming-Book-Programmers-ebook/dp/B01N6D5TPE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1509327556&sr=8-2&keywords=ada+programming

In it I talk about how to install an Ada compiler in Windows and in Linux (it's an appendix at the very end.)

Yes, you can accuse of hawking my wares and no I am not innocent of this.  But it will help the OP in his Ada learning adventure.