Re: How to get a »Conventional Ada Library« (Was: Ideas for Ada 200X)

["Warren W. Gay VE3WWG" <ve3wwg@cogeco.ca>]

Marin David Condic wrote:
...
> As for a conventional Ada library getting too complex, let me start 
> here: To the extent that containers are part of such a library, I'd 
> support a plain-vanilla set of lists and maps with "Ease Of Use" as a 
> primary goal. I'd also want to consider a second set of more elaborate 
> and powerful containers with "Maximum Utility" as a goal - on which you 
> go build whatever else you want to stick into the library. Make sure it 
> is well documented.

I would support this idea.

> Second, as for any concerns about "largeness" or "complexity" - lets do 
> a counter-proof by existence: Java has a really large library. So does 
> MSVC++. Programmers use those libraries *every*day* to build systems. If 
> they count as "large" and "complex", then this must not be a handicap. 
> If they are not "large" or "complex" then let's go off and build 
> something similar to what they have and call that a Conventional Ada 
> Library and we would similarly not be "large" and "complex".

I think this is an excellent point that you make here. How many
times have we heard that a such-n-such proposal/implementation is
too large or complex, and then stop there. Yet, as you point out,
others are already _using_ libraries far more (or equally) complex
in their day to day work. Simplicity is certainly a good goal, but
let's all realize that sometimes functionality dictates a more
complicated world.

Equally important is the fact that "they" are using something, and
often "we" are not. While the Booch Components often gets criticised
for their complexity (in instantiation mostly I think), they are a
very functional set of packages. They would be easier to use with
the appropriate level of documentation, which hasn't happened yet
(I had actually made it a goal to write such, but as you can see,
haven't come through on that yet). But the point here is that they
are fairly complete in functionality, but yet for one reason or
another, not fully accepted by the community (or maybe they have,
but the lurkers are not saying that ;-) ).

> MDC

-- 
Warren W. Gay VE3WWG
http://home.cogeco.ca/~ve3wwg