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"Team Ada: Ada Advocacy Issues (83 & 95)" <[log in to unmask]>
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Tue, 16 May 2000 15:11:53 +0000
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>On Tue, 16 May 2000 [log in to unmask] wrote:

>> <..snip..> but I'm sure I saw a list that suggested there *was* an Ada
>> compiler targetted to the 8051. I remember it because I was surprised to find
>> it, but I'll check again tonight in case I'm wrong.

>There are no Ada compilers for the I-8051.

Of course, it may be that I saw a vendor listed who produces C and Ada
compilers for various processors, but not all languages on all processors.

>Even if there were, it would not make much sense to use Ada for most I-8051
>applications.

<..snip..>

>If we are going to promote Ada, let's focus on those platforms best suited to
>it.

I don't agree with your comments on the unsuitability of Ada for small,
specialised applications.

Some time ago Tartan (TI) were very vocal about how their Ada compiler targetted
to the TI TMS320 series outperformed assembly language. The particular example
they cited was a small specialised application, for which assembler would
normally have been used.

The market for the 8051 family and PICs for example is huge and is likely to
continue to grow. By rejecting such a market as a lost cause we are effectively
promoting the Ada language as elitist and *only* for large programs. That is
going to get us nowhere apart from out of business! Surely the point of Ada is
that it can be successfully used on programmes of all sizes?

I would agree that we need to help maintain the presence and tools that we
already have available to us (see LynxOS comment below), however we desparately
need to try to increase the market for Ada.

>In a meeting yesterday, I was advised that a group working on Lynx OS has
>decided that Ada is no longer meeting their needs because they have upgraded to
>Lynx 3.0 and they cannot find an Ada compiler for it.  They have been using Ada
>on Lynx 2.5. If we do not support the platforms we start out supporting, those
>who choose Ada will continue to be frustrated when they decide to upgrade
>to the next level of an operating system.

Now that is a concern, especially as where I am currently working is considering
using LynxOS on an Ada program.

John

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