Re: [Ada] made me hate programming

[anon@att.net]

In <i0kssq$dcc$1@infosun2.rus.uni-stuttgart.de>, Peter Hermann <h@h.de> writes:
>Georg Bauhaus <rm.dash-bauhaus@futureapps.de> wrote:
>> ... a teacher
>> has no trouble wiping away all questions by noting that
>> "task" is a reserved word, and more about it later.
>> Just get rid of it. But that's the point!  That is what
>> error messages can strive to be like in a "teaching compiler".
>
>that's the point indeed.
>sehr gut.
>
>The evolution of compilers towards better error messages
>may only happen incrementally.
>Therefore AdaCores "GNAT Academic Program (GAP)" is so precious.


Most compilers are still written in software shop from programmers 
that care less who uses them.

But Adacore's GNAT was design at NYU.  Dr. Robert Dewar and the Ada Team
was requested to design a compiler that aid the Ada programmer. And, 
Robert Dewar a NYU associate professor at NYU in 80s .. 90s knew that 
most professors do not want to help students with simple syntax errors 
that a compiler could easily give a hint to.  So, GNAT is great in 
reporting the syntax errors.  With some warning messages on simple 
program design flaws like report a warning that routine calling 
itself may result in an endless loop error.  And this also, trys to 
fills a few requirments from the RM which other compilers have not.


Dr. Robert Dewar -- At NYU he was codirector of both the Ada-Ed and 
                    GNAT projects. And is a cofounder, president, and 
                    CEO of AdaCore.