RE: FW: Is the Writing on the Wall for Ada?

["Mário Amado Alves" <amado.alves@netcabo.pt>]

> > ... Only String versions is enough.
> 
> And some thing an array of integers are enough. I thought the
> point of returning Unbounded_String was to make the Strings a 
> bit easier to handle.

*Unbounded_String* is designed for easier handling of strings, not
necessarily *functions* returning Unbounded_String. Even Unbounded.Slice
returns a String. It's a matter of pros and cons. What do extra versions
of Get_Line buy us? Only that you can write

  An_Unbounded_String := Get_Line;

instead of

  An_Unbounded_String := To_Unbounded_String (Get_Line);

Now balance this with the cons:

- longer ARM, or

- will take space from more important things;

- overloaded functions that in some contexts will produce ambiguity
(which the programmer must resolve with more code).

My impression is cons > pros, that's all.

(What is the AI for this anyway?)