From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,XPRIO autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,53c5fea49e77990c,start X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2002-03-28 21:18:18 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!logbridge.uoregon.edu!paloalto-snh1.gtei.net!news.gtei.net!paloalto-snr2.gtei.net.POSTED!not-for-mail From: "WJT" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Ada Dot Net ? X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2462.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2462.0000 Message-ID: X-Trace: +LkLmhNpzDo0RClc9/+s39HUiNgc7EAMJ0dHwmvVARxsD59VqFzH8m37O8tegKJZzZS3kt3NUBXk!fNhAGplSBZg+q+RktCI8FIanXqJQpXbVWarnHac7LkyuQjcs5obskogRv7h6GwKbFxz8lW1BQD4Y!qxOt8uP4Wmw4 X-Complaints-To: abuse@gtei.net X-Abuse-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 04:57:48 GMT Distribution: world Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 04:57:48 GMT Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:21810 Date: 2002-03-29T04:57:48+00:00 List-Id: 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!!!