> Martin (boldly) > Whatever ... Java has, I will deliver it in Ada by fall.
> Full Circle:  The free Java Developers Kit comes with a Classes.zip file
>               that is 9 megabytes. Could we please have those classes in
>               Ada-95? It also comes with fonts and sample programs for
>               distributing data and processing across the Net.
> How can I CONTRIBUTE in helping you make this large delivery this Fall?

Nothing is quite so entertaining as being quoted out of context.  The
ellipses there omit the phrase "we need [for our introductory
course]".  I think I can safely argue that most of those 9MB aren't
going to come in too handy for someone writing "Hello world".

It is my understanding, though, that Aonix already has the ability to
interface to the Java classes, and ACT is working on it (see p. 157
of the Tri-Ada '97 proceedings).  Why reinvent the wheel?  Is there
something you find lacking in these efforts?

On a similar note, I am very happily using the TASH binding to Tcl/Tk
by Terry Westley.  With it and Ada packages, I can make it very easy
to have my students develop GUI programs with no knowledge of Tcl/Tk
at all!  I'll be presenting at ASEET on a graphical multi-platform
replacement for Ada.Text_IO, etc.

I appreciate your willingness to contribute to the cause.  I'm still
trying to figure out what the cause is, though.  I think the
confusion in my department was caused by the fact people didn't
understand Ada's abilities to interface to other languages.  Ben
Brogsol's email pointed out the many strengths of Ada (which I
believe are well-understood in my department).  One of our faculty
said they believed it didn't matter so much about the language, but
the tools that were available.  I differed quite strongly, because
the language is everything, and the tools are there for the asking!
(with perhaps a little bit of work interfacing to them).

--Martin
Martin C. Carlisle, Asst Prof of Comp Sci,
US Air Force Academy, [log in to unmask]
http://www.usafa.af.mil/dfcs/bios/carlisle.html

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