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From:
Scott Douglass <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Scott Douglass <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 25 Nov 1998 02:27:16 +1000
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Hey what about

ADA - first time, all the time !!

or for something more original
ADA is life
Have a break - have an ADA
ADA is it      :)

On the subject of ADA in schools and it's popularity on the whole, I think that it is really up to you guys out there to make it happen. For example what made C so popular wasnt the language but the fact that UNIX was coded in C. I think this made people think 'I better learn how it works'  and then people learnt C. 
ADA is still seen in many schools as a specialist language for the defense industry, purely because the average school has never seen an ADA app. I am new to ADA but so far it reminds me of PASCAL - (and I can hear you all screaming from here.)  
But one of the advantages of PASCAL was that it did teach good code structure and software practice, PASCAL up until recently was used to introduce undergraduates to languages before they hit C. However this has changed as schools seem to think they had better teach a language they can use in the real world.
So what do they tend to do now? - a lot teach students C++ as an intro course  and the results tend to leave the students confused and the staff frustrated.

So here is my proposal, 
1. encourage schools to take up ADA as a first language as it has a lot of strong learning features - and in a sense replace the spot where pascal was. That way students can learn a real world language with OOP and move to other languages competently, whether it be C's or Java whatever. I think all languages have there place, however ADA must find an additional role to play if it wants to become mainstream. And i dont think emphasising it's educational advantages is detracting in any way.After all isnt it those features which make ADA reliable.
 
2. What about everyone "chipping in" a bit of time or brain power to develop some copyleft applications or something like that, something where the average person can see ADA at work. I have no idea what but if we can't think of something we may as well pack up and go home now. It seems to me like the ADA popularity question is a bit like the kid having the birthday party and no one has turned up - because they didnt know they where invited !!!

Anyway just a couple of personal ideas and opinions for you all.

Scott Douglass
Australia



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