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"Team Ada: Ada Advocacy Issues (83 & 95)" <[log in to unmask]>
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From:
Stanley Allen <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 17 Apr 1998 02:01:00 -0500
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Stanley Allen <[log in to unmask]>
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[log in to unmask] wrote:

> For targeting the programmer, I've liked the PowerAda posters but I'd go
> one step farther.
> Split page ad -
> Left half - Dilbert type at desk, mounds of overflowing printouts, late at
> night, pencil in mouth, worried look.
> Right half - any of the current PowerAda poster pics, guy having fun (ohhh
> and don't forget our female counterparts)
> Text above the pictures: "Debug vs. Deliver"

I like it!  I should mention that, in addition to power
and features (which represent the emotional aspect of a
programmer's attachment to his/her tools), the promise
of success ("here is a tool to help you get the project
done on time with a minimum of hassle") is also a great
way to sell Ada.

So many who have used Ada point to this reason ("After
it compiles, I'm generally sure it's going to work",
and "I don't have to spend very much time in the
debugger", etc.) for liking the language, it would be
good to play this up, as Dean suggests, in an ad
campaign for Ada.  (Note that all of these positives
can be stated without reference to strong or "strict"
type checking, phrases which have become contaminated.
You'll get a better hearing by referring to Ada's type
system as "powerful", "complete", or "well-defined".)

The fact that you see other products being advertised
this way (the programmer on the beach sipping his
margarita because the database interface was easy to
build using visual whatever) probably indicates that
this approach is effective.

BTW, I've always liked the marketing appeal of the
name "PowerAda".  I'll let you guess why.

Stanley Allen
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