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Subject:
From:
"Crispen, Bob" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Crispen, Bob
Date:
Thu, 8 Jan 1998 12:10:41 -0600
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> Samuel Mize[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] sez:
>
> Here's my take on why there
> isn't as much homebuilt freeware for Ada:
>
> * Common, cheap/free Ada compilers for home computers have only become
>   available recently.
[snip]
> * The Ada community is much smaller.
[snip]
> * Ada has just recently penetrated the colleges.
[snip]
> * Ada people tend to use bindings to existing systems.
>
to which I'll add:

* Because of the regulations under which they live,
many contractors and their government customers
have to go through a lengthy and tedious approval
process before they can make their software available
to the public.

* Free software has until recently had a very bad
reputation among more conservative managers and
(to a lesser extent) engineers.

Thus: no push, no pull.

* A tradition has developed of distributing free source
code in C with Unix calls as a lingua franca among
platforms, particularly when the software is terminal
based or a filter.  Every freeware developer wants his
or her freeware to be used.  Distributing it in Ada
would even now draw more complaints than thanks
in most communities.

Bob Crispen
[log in to unmask]

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