TEAM-ADA Archives

Team Ada: Ada Programming Language Advocacy

TEAM-ADA@LISTSERV.ACM.ORG

Options: Use Forum View

Use Proportional Font
Show HTML Part by Default
Condense Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Content-Transfer-Encoding:
7bit
Sender:
"Team Ada: Ada Advocacy Issues (83 & 95)" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:
From:
Dave Wood <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 21 Aug 2000 18:25:16 -0700
Content-Type:
text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
MIME-Version:
1.0
Reply-To:
Dave Wood <[log in to unmask]>
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (34 lines)
----- Original Message ----- >
> UCSD Pascal was ported to lots of micro platforms at the time,
> and was the first language beyond MS-BASIC to appear on the IBM PC.
> It was also on the Apple ][.
>
> UCSD Pascal compiled to "P-code", of course, which was executed on
> the P-machine interpreter. Java was NOT the first virtual machine
> by a long shot (neither was UCSD Pascal, but that is another story...).

To continue the string, when IBM needed a language platform for their
new PC, they approached Softech Microsystems about using USCD Pascal
and the P-system.  Softech Microsystems was not interested, and IBM's
next stop was that funny looking guy with a bad haircut and a
pocket protector.

Softech Microsystems folded when the parent company, Softech,
shut them down.  The then-president of Softech Microsystems went on to
become CEO of Telesoft, then Alsys, then Thomson Software Products,
then Aonix.  In more recent history, the same person expressed doubts
about the commercial value of the Java Virtual Machine (and Ada's
potential role in it) because the P-system was such a failure.

(Who's that knocking on the door?  Go away and leave me alone...)

Softech also spawned some very good Ada people, such as
Jim O'Leary, the former Aonix project manager who oversaw the
development of ObjectAda for Windows.  I spent a few years at
Softech myself.

When the defense industry dried up, Softech itself spiraled downward
and was eventually absorbed by CACI.

-- Dave Wood

ATOM RSS1 RSS2