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 autolearn=unavailable autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 Path: border1.nntp.dca3.giganews.com!backlog3.nntp.dca3.giganews.com!border2.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!usenet.blueworldhosting.com!feeder01.blueworldhosting.com!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!eternal-september.org!feeder.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Simon Clubley Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Ada platforms and pricing, was: Re: a new language, designed for safety ! Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 17:11:11 +0000 (UTC) Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Message-ID: References: <1402308235.2520.153.camel@pascal.home.net> <85ioo9yukk.fsf@stephe-leake.org> <255b51cd-b23f-4413-805a-9fea3c70d8b2@googlegroups.com> <5ebe316d-cd84-40fb-a983-9f953f205fef@googlegroups.com> <2100734262424129975.133931laguest-archeia.com@nntp.aioe.org> Injection-Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 17:11:11 +0000 (UTC) Injection-Info: mx05.eternal-september.org; posting-host="e458ff8b81bc0c159989eb0e36c6e372"; logging-data="20610"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX18Ubcuk3nD/Od9Thu1buydlA4dM7nKjuQI=" User-Agent: slrn/0.9.8.1 (VMS/Multinet) Cancel-Lock: sha1:v+yfwj//xJo2RRpGqY/1sKfwvjg= X-Original-Bytes: 3847 Xref: number.nntp.dca.giganews.com comp.lang.ada:186977 Date: 2014-06-16T17:11:11+00:00 List-Id: On 2014-06-16, Randy Brukardt wrote: > "Luke A. Guest" wrote in message > news:2100734262424129975.133931laguest-archeia.com@nntp.aioe.org... >> "J-P. Rosen" wrote: > ... >> language. Would you argue >>> that C is being impaired because Microsoft C is not free? >> >> There are many implementations of C, not true of Ada. > > Really? I'm sure the Atego people, ICC (Adam's employer), and RRS (me) would > be rather surprised to hear that. Not to mention the many Ada 95 > implementations still available. > How many of those compilers can be used to generate code for an ARM or MIPS processor and how does the pricing compare to the comparable C compiler ? The real problem is that Ada isn't a mainstream language these days (at least for general use) so if you want to attract new people to it, you can't start charging significant money to people just wanting to explore the language. Many of those people wanting to explore the language will be wanting to explore Ada by using it on embedded platforms so you need a range of Ada cross compilers available in the same way you have a range of C cross compilers available for those same people to use. I know I keep repeating this, but the cold reality is that if the Ada compiler options available don't match the needs (both in terms of platforms and pricing) of the people who are potentially interested in exploring Ada, then it doesn't matter how good Ada is; none of those people are going to give Ada a go. I know many of you work in critical environments where paying large amounts of money for a supported compiler not only makes sense, but is expected. However, many of the people you are potentially trying to get interested in using Ada in the future workplace are generally hobbyists and other people paying for their experiments out of their own pockets - and those people have several free non-Ada options available to them for their projects. These people you are trying to get to use Ada will generally have very different pricing and platforms needs compared to your critical workplace projects and, when pushing Ada, you need to think in terms of their needs, not yours. Simon. -- Simon Clubley, clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP Microsoft: Bringing you 1980s technology to a 21st century world