Book recommendation

Book recommendation

[Maciej Sobczak]

Hi,

I'm a computer programmer with C++ experience. Currently I work in the 
real-time environment and I would like to broaden my perspective on 
languages and tools that can be effectively used in the area of 
real-time, distributed and concurrent programming.

Note that very likely I will *not* be using Ada professionally.

There are two books that I found and that I think would help me:

- Programming in Ada 95 (Barnes)
- Concurrency in Ada (Barns)

I learned that Ada community is preparing for the new standard release 
this year.

My questions are:
- Would you recommend these two books (which focus on Ada95) anyway?
- Are there any changes planned in the *relevant* parts of the language 
that would render these two books outright obsolete?
- Or maybe there are new editions planned for later this year (I don't 
mind waiting)?

Regards,

-- 
Maciej Sobczak : http://www.msobczak.com/
Programming    : http://www.msobczak.com/prog/

Re: Book recommendation

[Pascal Obry]

Maciej Sobczak <no.spam@no.spam.com> writes:

> There are two books that I found and that I think would help me:
> 
> - Programming in Ada 95 (Barnes)
> - Concurrency in Ada (Barns)
                        ^^^^^
                        Burns & Wellings

> I learned that Ada community is preparing for the new standard release this
> year.
> 
> My questions are:
> - Would you recommend these two books (which focus on Ada95) anyway?

Yes, the second one is really good.

> - Are there any changes planned in the *relevant* parts of the language that
> would render these two books outright obsolete?

I would say no.

> - Or maybe there are new editions planned for later this year (I don't mind
> waiting)?

There is some additions on the "safety and security" and "Real-Time Systems"
annexes but Ada 2006 will be fully upward compatible with Ada 95 and
everything you'll lean now will be fine with the next standard.

Pascal.

-- 

--|------------------------------------------------------
--| Pascal Obry                           Team-Ada Member
--| 45, rue Gabriel Peri - 78114 Magny Les Hameaux FRANCE
--|------------------------------------------------------
--|              http://www.obry.net
--| "The best way to travel is by means of imagination"
--|
--| gpg --keyserver wwwkeys.pgp.net --recv-key C1082595

Re: Book recommendation

[Randy Brukardt]

"Pascal Obry" <pascal@obry.net> wrote in message
news:upstybjlk.fsf@obry.net...
...
> There is some additions on the "safety and security" and "Real-Time
Systems"
> annexes but Ada 2006 will be fully upward compatible with Ada 95 and
> everything you'll lean now will be fine with the next standard.

Ada 200Y will not be quite upward compatible (obvious things like new
reserved words and less obvious things like some access constraints are no
longer allowed), but in general what you wrote is correct.

                       Randy.

Re: Book recommendation

[Pascal Obry]

Dennis Lee Bieber <wlfraed@ix.netcom.com> writes:

> 	Be advised that the second is not really a "learn Ada" type
> book. Its emphasis is just what the title implies; the ins and outs of
> the Ada tasking model.

Tasking and distributed model.

Pascal.

-- 

--|------------------------------------------------------
--| Pascal Obry                           Team-Ada Member
--| 45, rue Gabriel Peri - 78114 Magny Les Hameaux FRANCE
--|------------------------------------------------------
--|              http://www.obry.net
--| "The best way to travel is by means of imagination"
--|
--| gpg --keyserver wwwkeys.pgp.net --recv-key C1082595

Re: Book recommendation

[jtg]

Maciej Sobczak wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm a computer programmer with C++ experience. Currently I work in the 
> real-time environment and I would like to broaden my perspective on 
> languages and tools that can be effectively used in the area of 
> real-time, distributed and concurrent programming.
> 
> Note that very likely I will *not* be using Ada professionally.
> 
> There are two books that I found and that I think would help me:
> 
> - Programming in Ada 95 (Barnes)
> - Concurrency in Ada (Barns)
> 
> I learned that Ada community is preparing for the new standard release 
> this year.
> 
> My questions are:
> - Would you recommend these two books (which focus on Ada95) anyway?

I didn't see any of these books, so I cannot recommend them or not.
But if you have C++ experience, I would recommend "Ada as a second
language" by Norman Cohen. It is intended for experienced programmers
(i.e. experienced in other languages).

Re: Book recommendation

[Jerry Petrey]

Maciej Sobczak wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm a computer programmer with C++ experience. Currently I work in the
> real-time environment and I would like to broaden my perspective on
> languages and tools that can be effectively used in the area of
> real-time, distributed and concurrent programming.
>
> Note that very likely I will *not* be using Ada professionally.
>
> There are two books that I found and that I think would help me:
>
> - Programming in Ada 95 (Barnes)
> - Concurrency in Ada (Barns)
>
> I learned that Ada community is preparing for the new standard release
> this year.
>
> My questions are:
> - Would you recommend these two books (which focus on Ada95) anyway?
> - Are there any changes planned in the *relevant* parts of the language
> that would render these two books outright obsolete?
> - Or maybe there are new editions planned for later this year (I don't
> mind waiting)?
>
> Regards,
>
> --
> Maciej Sobczak : http://www.msobczak.com/
> Programming    : http://www.msobczak.com/prog/

They are both outstanding books along with "Ada 95 as a Second Language".
I like Barnes' book best for learning the language.  He was, after all, one of
the creators of the original Ada 83.

Jerry

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- Jerry Petrey, CFI - GNC Software Engineer, Raytheon Missile Systems
-- "The ultimate responsibility of the pilot is to fulfill the dreams
--  of the countless millions of earthbound ancestors who could only
--  stare skyward ... and wish."
--
-- NOTE: please perform appendectomy on email address before replying
------------------------------------------------------------------------