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Subject:
From:
Michael Stark <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Michael Stark <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 30 Jun 1997 08:25:49 -0400
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Too rude?  I don't think so!

Mike

At 7:34 AM -0500 6/30/97, David Weller wrote:
>Well, I know that Hal Hart and Oliver Cole are wrestling with a reply
>to DDJ.  I don't care, I'm just an "Average Ada Joe" who got miffed at
>the DDJ article.  Felt I had to write something.  It's probably more
>rude than it needs to be, but that's just me :-)  I'm posting it here
>for your enjoyment
>
>
>> Subject: An Ode to Ada?
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 07:36:00 -0500 (CDT)
>>
>> In the words of Mark Twain, "Rumors of my death have been greatly
>> exaggerated."  It was disappointing to read Mr. Kim's commentary on
>> the DoD's choice to end the "mandate" of Ada as their primary
>> programming language.  I am among many, however, who applaud the DoD's
>> decision.  Ada is healthy enough to stand on its own against the two
>> competitors: C++ and Java.  As a developer very experienced in all
>> three languages, I choose Ada wherever I can.  I can generate Java
>> bytecode directly from Ada, allowing me to quickly deliver web-based
>> applets in a language significantly richer than Java.  And for those
>> that argue the Ada is too "verbose", it should be noted that the
>> Ada 95 Booch Components are approx 15% _smaller_ than the same
>> Booch Components in C++!  Mr. Kim's arguments against tools have some
>> merit, but the most common C++ tools, those that perform
>> bounds-checking and leak-detection, are practically useless for Ada.
>> Those checking features can be turned on and off at a switch from the
>>compiler.
>> Of course, most vendors don't deliver Ada interfaces to their
>> products, but Ada comes with a standard mechanism for incorporating C,
>> Fortran, and COBOL interfaces right away (a novel way to use legacy
>> code in web apps: Write Ada applets in Java bytecode, and let your
>> server apps, also written in Ada, make calls to your legacy systems).
>> Compiler and tool prices are now on an even playing field with C++
>> tools, and Ada already has the advantage of being a stable ISO standard
>> with optional compiler certification.  It will be at least another two
>> years before we see that in C++.  It's true that there are fewer
>> people trained in Ada, but my personal experience is that C people
>> reach "expert" level significantly faster (about a factor of two) in
>> Ada than they do in C++.
>>
>> Market forces, indeed.  I'll remember my parent's admonishment in this
>> case, "If Eugene Eric Kim jumped off a cliff, would you do it to?"  No
>> thanks, Mr. Kim, I'll just watch you and the rest of the lemmings do
>> your thing.
>>
>> David Weller
>> [log in to unmask]
>> Author, Ada 95 Booch Components (www.rivatech.com/booch)
>>


-------------------------------------------------------
Michael Stark                                                   NASA/GSFC

Phone: (301) 286-5048                                   Code 552
Fax:    (301) 286-0245                                   Greenbelt, MD 20771
 e-mail: [log in to unmask]
"A civilization is not destroyed by wicked people; it is not necessary that
 people be wicked but only that they be spineless"  -- James Baldwin
-------------------------------------------------------

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