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=-1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,b50bc6538a649497 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: tmoran@acm.org Subject: Re: Ada student homework ? Date: 2000/11/19 Message-ID: #1/1 X-Deja-AN: 695512456 References: <8v906g$il0$1@nnrp1.deja.com> X-Complaints-To: abuse@home.net X-Trace: news1.frmt1.sfba.home.com 974666394 24.20.190.201 (Sun, 19 Nov 2000 12:39:54 PST) Organization: Excite@Home - The Leader in Broadband http://home.com/faster NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2000 12:39:54 PST Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Date: 2000-11-19T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: > > >which has the advantage of not being tied to windows. > > Or disadvantage, depending on the situation. > > Obviously if one can have a portable solution which is as easy or > easier to use than a non-portable solution, the former is preferable. Obviously. But is it really true that *any* app using the facilities of MS Windows can be developed as easily, or easier, with GtkAda? I also note that the www.adapower description of GtkAda, under "Compatitibility", says "The only GNAT-specific features in this toolkit are related to command line handling (functions G[dt]k.Init), and the use of GNAT.HTable. Modifying this toolkit for another Ada 95 compiler should be straightforward." Is there a release sequence of GtkAda versions that have been developed and tested with multiple Ada compilers? Or does GtkAda free you from being tied to MS Windows, and instead tie you to ACT's Ada compiler? Portability is not cheap. Having worked on the development and testing of CLAW on four different Ada compilers, including GNAT, over the last few years I am acutely aware of that fact. It's also true that software vendors usually have strong economic incentives to promote lock-in to their products. Caveat Emptor.