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Subject:
From:
Randy Brukardt <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Randy Brukardt <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 20 Jul 2000 12:17:51 -0500
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> Is anyone doing something about this situation?  Are there
> any Ada compilers for the Windows CE platform?  Are there any plans
> for such compilers?

We would be happy to do a version of our compiler and/or Claw for Windows
CE. At one point, Aonix said that their compiler could be used with the CE
toolkit to create CE programs (something I have not tried to do).

However, the reason we haven't done this is simple: no one has asked for it.
There is no way we can take on a project of that magitude without a
customer; keeping up with the maintenance on our current products is a
full-time job as it is.

In another message, you discuss Visual Basic moving into embedded systems.

Of course, there is value in rapid prototyping of applications. But this is
an area in which Ada cannot (and in fact, must not) compete. Ada is intended
as a software engineering tool. And you can't engineer anything in 30
minutes. That's just hacking.

If, indeed, people start using Visual Basic and Java VMs in airplanes and
medical equipment, I think I'll have to use my bicycle to get around. I fear
that we're going to have to kill a lot of people before there is a true
appreciation for software engineering and reliable software.

I think it is important that we keep the engineering core of Ada, so that
there is somewhere for people to go after the inevitable diaster. We should
support as many useful technologies as possible within that mandate. That
does not mean blindly chasing after Microsoft or Sun or IBM or anyone else.
Companies that size can go in a dozen directions at once, and tend to forget
about whatever doesn't sell anyway. I doubt that there are any Ada companies
that can afford that behavior.

                        Randy.

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