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=-0.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00, REPLYTO_WITHOUT_TO_CC autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,7d14d8f47ca035bf X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2001-04-06 02:36:30 PST Path: supernews.google.com!sn-xit-02!supernews.com!news.tele.dk!134.222.94.5!npeer.kpnqwest.net!newsfeed.esat.net!news.heanet.ie!Colin_Paul_Gloster From: Colin_Paul_Gloster@ACM.org (Colin Paul Gloster) Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Ada Generic vs. C++ Templates Date: 6 Apr 2001 10:38:44 GMT Organization: Dublin City University Message-ID: References: <3AC8E799.189EE51C@bigfoot.com> <3ACA4A12.9FC665D5@bigfoot.com> <3ACBBE65.D65BB767@worldnet.att.net> <3ACD1045.E9ECB65F@worldnet.att.net> Reply-To: Colin_Paul_Gloster@ACM.org NNTP-Posting-Host: ns.dcu.ie X-Trace: kenraki.heanet.ie 986553524 18524 136.206.1.3 (6 Apr 2001 10:38:44 GMT) X-Complaints-To: news@kenraki.heanet.ie NNTP-Posting-Date: 6 Apr 2001 10:38:44 GMT User-Agent: slrn/0.9.5.3 (UNIX) Cache-Post-Path: ns.dcu.ie!unknown@tolka.dcu.ie X-Cache: nntpcache 2.3.3 (see http://www.nntpcache.org/) Xref: supernews.google.com comp.lang.ada:6553 Date: 2001-04-06T10:38:44+00:00 List-Id: In article <3ACD1045.E9ECB65F@worldnet.att.net>, James Rogers wrote: "DuckE wrote: > > You have implied that GNAT implements the entire Ada95 standard. > > While all of the "required" elements are supported, some things are not. > > Just try making use of "Ada.Asynchronous_Task_Control" and you'll get a > message: > Asynchonnous_Task_Control is not implemented. This, of course, does not even approach the problems found with C++ compilers. I am sure you will correct me if I am wrong in this. I believe the C++ standard contains no optional annexes." Probably true that it has no optional annexes. "GNAT does implement all required features of the Ada language, and nearly every feature of the optional annexes. You cannot write an Ada program that compiles in GNAT, using only required features of the language, and not successfully compile the same program using another Ada compiler. On the other hand, you can easily write a C++ program using the Microsoft C++ compiler that will not compile properly using the Watcom C++ compiler." Watcom having gone bust before the Standard came to be. As for those current Standard-sriving compilers, your point holds. There are people who care though and do get more than one C++ compiler to successfully compile the same source. "The C++ reference manual is larger than the Ada reference manual. This is only important as an indication of the difficulty of compiler implementation implied by the size of the document. You may deny the validity of this measure," I agree that it is indicative. Something I do not like is people referencing "The C++ Programming Language" (or the second edition of "The C Programming Language", 1988, Prentice Hall in the case of C89 when C89 was Standard C) as authoriative when they are not prescriptive -- the Standard is the authority. Note even that "The C Programming Language" predates the ex-standard people incorrectly throw it around as defining and is based on a late draft standard. It may be worth mentioning that staff writers for "C/C++ User's Journal" have said things along the lines of such and such seems to be the case in Standard C++, evidence to support said opinion (note opinion and evidence, not things they are billing as definitely correct interpretations of the Standard) being from whatever section (of the actual Standard thank goodness). The editor said that because of such common referrals to the C++ Standard in CUJ, the Standard is excellent. Merely on that measure the opposite is a far more sensible suspicion. "but the current lack of compilers implementing the standard speaks loudly to me. It must be due to the standard itself." Yes. Note however that on average the greatest deficiencies in completely implementating it seems to be in finishing off the libraries. Libraries are not so much a language issue. Still the actual language implementations have some way to go yet. "The C++ language standard has too often ignored the concerns of compiler writers. Features and language definitions have been placed in the standard to satisfy application developers without proper concern for the need to implement those features in a compiler." My reaction to this makes me feel that it is grossly untrue. Colin Paul -- This signature file is included in protest against the hosting of Nazi facist propaganda "Mein Kampf" written by Adolf Hitler on the Dublin City University Networking Society (committee@RedBrick.DCU.Ie, DCU Networking Society, c/o Clubs and Socs Office, The Hub, DCU, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland) website at HTTP://WWW.RedBrick.DCU.Ie/~mellow/Adolf/ by R. O'Brien whose username is mellow. On 22nd March 2001 Dublin City University webmaster Niall O'Leary (niall.oleary@DCU.Ie, +353-1-700 5864, Room C203, Computer Services Department, Henry Grattan Building, DCU, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland) authorised "Mein Kampf" to be on the Internet via DCU and HEAnet (info@HEAnet.Ie, +353-1-6623412, HEAnet Ltd., Ground Floor, Marine House, Clanwilliam Court, Dublin 2, Ireland) resources. Please also complain to The President's Office, DCU, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland, dcupres@DCU.Ie.