Re: Is 3.15p -still- the latest GNAT 'p' release?

["Alexandre E. Kopilovitch" <aek@VB1162.spb.edu>]

Ludovic Brenta write:

> Hyman Rosen <hyrosen@mail.com> writes:
>
> > Ludovic Brenta wrote:
> > >(2) the "GNAT Pro" releases offered only to paying customers
> > 
> > You could always contact friends who are (or work for) paying
> > customers and get a Pro version from them.
>
> This is pirating.

You made me smiling, almost laughing, thanks -:) . What do you know about
so-called "piracy"? I guess - from that your sentence - that you know very
little, too little about this controversial issue.

I think that taking GNAT Pro from a friend (if it appears possible) can't
be "pirating" in any sense (and if fact, if someone managed to "pirate" ACT,
that is, Robert Dewar, it would be big and admirable achievement, and true
contribution into software business art and experience -:) .

There is little sense to take GNAT Pro from a friend unless the "pirate" has
the same profile (as a developer) as that friend, which is unlikely. If fact,
it may be only reasonable for evaluating either GNAT Pro itself or some new
language or library features provided there - but this hardly can make any
damage to ACT.

>  I will never encourage such a disrespectful attitude.

I can't see why you call this attitude "disrespectful". On the contrary,
taking some product for use shows respect for that product and for its vendor.
Note that it is unimaginable that a company that is able to pay for GNAT Pro
will choose to take it "from a friend". Only those who can't pay and do not
care much about legality of *their* own software products may go this way.

>  ACT are doing an outstanding job.  As a professional
> software developer, I happen to know just how much effort goes into
> testing, verification and certification.

Very good, but so what? GNAT Pro is not a computer game or a song. Note that
Robert Dewar repeated many times that ACT sells *support*, and GNAT Pro is
just supported version of GNAT. And you can't easily take that support from
a friend, because the customer's profile is stated in the support contract.

> I pray everyone on this newsgroup not to listen to Hyman Rosen.

It sounds like you accused him in heresy -:)

>  If you require GNAT Pro, pay.

I think that more proper formulation will be: "If you can easily pay for GNAT
Pro then, perhaps, you need it".




Alexander Kopilovitch                      aek@vib.usr.pu.ru
Saint-Petersburg
Russia