Ada Dot Net ?

["WJT" <bthomas@aisvt.bfg.com>]

I know this is probably an old and sore subject but I have to ask. Does
anyone know if any of the Ada vendors (the few left) are developing an Ada95
compiler for the MS Dot Net Environment?

Before all you GNAT/Linux freaks start ganging up on me, save it.

The reason I want to know is that I have been developing in C# lately. I
started using the command line compiler that comes free with the SDK. And
believe it or not I was generating some impressive GUI applications using
nothing more than a text editor. I do not attribute this to the superiority
of the C# language, I attribute it to the Common Language Runtime (CLR) and
its class libraries that make Windows programming .... well, actually
enjoyable. As a matter of fact, because of the class libraries C#, VB and
any other 'OO' language all look pretty similar on the Dot Net platform (and
pretty simple as well).

For the first time I have to say that MS has actually come close to hitting
the mark, they have actually done something that has benefited the
developer. The entire OS (or 99% of it) is available as an OO class library!
I just can't help but think that having an Ada95 compiler in such an
environment could only benefit Ada as a whole. For the first time Ada would
be on a level playing field with all of the other languages on that
development platform.

The real reason that I would like to have an Ada95 compiler on such a
platform (and hopefully developed as a plug-in for MS Visual Studio) is
well...just because. Because I've dedicated over 20 years of my life to the
little lady (mostly using her in embedded systems) and would really like to
see here catch the boat this time.

It's just that I'm seeing Visual COBOL and Visual FORTRAN compilers
integrated into the Dot Net environment (and MS Visual Studio) and I have a
bad case of 'class envy'!!! For 20 years I've suffered from a bad case of
API envy, but now it's class envy!!!

And look, before all of  you start flaming me with a bunch of crap about
portable GUI interfaces, the evils of the Gates Empire, just stop before you
even get started. Your dealing with someone who has spent thousands of
dollars over the years purchasing all of the PC based Ada compilers that the
industry could conjure up, someone who has programmed GUI's at the X Windows
Tool Kit level (in Ada), all the way down to scrapping the metal of the
packed pixel frame buffers (via Ada 2D arrays mapped with 'for use' at
clauses). When it comes to Ada development I have no problem saying that I
have been there and I have done that, period. I know what I want, and I know
what is needed.

I have earned the right to say that as far as I'm concerned Ada has always
missed the mark, has always fallen short of the other languages when it
comes to MS Windows development environments and tools. I would just like to
see a vendor fully embrace what may be the last chance to 'get it right'
when it comes to providing an Ada solution for serious MS Windows
application development. If there is any vendor out their even attempting
such an undertaking then God Bless and God Speed !!!

William J. Thomas

P.S. Just for the record, when it comes to Cross Compilers for Embedded
Systems nothing in the industry even comes close to Ada, not even close. Ada
has made programming large real-time embedded systems an absolute pleasure,
a pure joy compared to any other language in existence !!! If you have to
take it from the metal up and make it fly, there's nothing like Ada!!!