Re: GNAT for Debian

[Preben Randhol <randhol+abuse@pvv.org>]

David Holm wrote:
> But ACT's CVS is updated about every other day, often with changes
> made to the gcc patch (the ada code is separate from the gcc
> code-changes).  There are also some alarming threads on the gcc
> mailinglist where it's made obvious that people (including gcc
> maintainers) aren't very interested in Ada. This is one such thread:
> http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2000-10/msg00003.html

I don't agree with you on that. I didn't have time to read the whole
thread but after the first dusine posts I didn't get that impression.

> I recon their consider it just another adition to their list of
> support languages and don't care much more. Personally I use Ada
> because I know what it can do to an applications stability, therefore
> I also want it to be maintained by someone who respects that, namely
> ACT, not GNU.

It is not GNU that does the development of the Ada part it is ACT.

> If you are interested in the real version of gnat based on gcc3 the
> cvs is here:
>:pserver:anoncvs@libre.act-europe.fr:/anoncvs (module gnat)

Interesting.

> The fact debian chose to use gcc-3.3 (from gnu) over building a
> snapshot from the cvs shows that their ada maintainer is not overly
> interested in Ada (any more?). 

No it is just that Samuel (thanks for the work by the way!) stopped
making debian packages after Gnat 3.14p. I guess we could build a
gnat-3.15p, but personally I do not have the time (and I have to learn
to build debian packages as well) at the moment. Hopefully later this
fall.

> I switched from FreeBSD where the Ada maintainer is very strict when
> it comes to what to add and not to add regarding ada-stuff. I was
> expecting something similar from Debian since that is the way I found
> debian to be a few years ago (before I knew Ada). I guess it's
> problematic to find good maintainers these days though, especially
> when it comes to Ada. It's not exactly popular (at least in my
> school), apart from one or two of the doctoral students I seem to be
> the only one using it.

Most distributions make gnat compilers from the gcc 3.x brance. So a lot
of problems would go away if this could come up to speed with ACTs CVS.
At the moment we are in a limbo between 3.15p and some stable gnat in
the future. The problem is that a buggy gnat won't make more people
interested in developing in Ada.

> True, it is not for you then maybe. Perhaps you should take over the
> position as Ada maintainer in Debian or find someone else motivated to
> do it. The current maintainer didn't seem motivated to me.

If others would help it would be nice. I guess one had to consult
Debian, but making a gnat-3.15p and then gnat-X-act-cvs versions until
gcc-3 is stable wouldn't be preferable. I agree on this. However I guess
it would be nice to know also what the roadmap for gcc-3 and ACT are in
this respect.

-- 
Ada95 is good for you.
http://www.crystalcode.com/codemage/MainMenu/Coding/Ada/IntroducingAda.php