This is a job for Team-Ada   :-)

David Botton

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jimmy Tucker" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Cc: "Bruce Espedal" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2000 8:43 AM
Subject: Future of Ada


> Sir,
> My organization, the Defense Automatic Addressing System Center, a field
> level activity of lthe Defense Logistics Agency, has an application
running in
> ADA.  We have two ADA programmers, one full-time, and one part-time,
assigned to
> this project.  This application has 140,000 lines of ADA code, and
provides for
> the editing, verification and routing of DoD logistics transactions to the
> appropriate destination, based upon business rules described in DoD
4000.25-M-x,
> and Service and Agency specific business rules.  Upper management is
proposing
> to rewrite this application in C++, as we have a greater base of C++
expertise,
> and one of our ADA programmers is going to retire within the next few
years.
> Our chief of programming is not too sure of the longevity of the ADA
> environment, and is considering this move to C++.  What I am trying to
assist
> our ADA programmers in, is to research ADA and its viability for the
future.  I
> agree with our ADA programmers, and feel that this mission critical
system, and
> the concern of migration to C++ might allow for errors creep into the
140,000
> lines of existing code, and the associated maintenance considerations for
the
> average of 152 changes per year to the code.  Concern centers around the
error
> minimization that the ADA compiler supports, and the extensive testing
that
> might be required to support similar error minimization in the C++ code.
> Concern is also in the area of obtaining another ADA programmer to replace
the
> current organic government ADA programmers.  Contracting out would be a
> solution, but there is a concern of what is available to us.  In order for
us to
> have a viable resource, it takes about a year for an ADA programmer to
become
> effective in our environment, as the individual must become knowledgeable
with
> DoD logistics business rules, and the quirks with Army, Navy, Ari Force,
and
> Marine unique logic.  Any way we go, we will still have this problem,
except
> with a contractor, the likelyhood of maintaining a longterm programmer in
ADA is
> questionable, and we would have to start the training process all over
again.
> Thus, the crux of upper management's concern.
> The chief of programming has the following question that we must answer:
> 'Is ADA going away in the next few years (5-10), and if not - prove it."
Would
> you be able to provide your insight as to the longevity of ADA, and any
concerns
> for migration to a C++ environment, such as costs to maintain C++ versus
ADA,
> testing requirements for C++ versus ADA, etc.  We're looking for
ammunition to
> prove our case for ADA.  HELP!!!!!
>
> Jimmy R. Tucker
> DAASC-SLP
> 5250 Pearson Road, Bldg 207, Area C
> WPAFB, OH  45433-5328
> Phone: (937) 656-3747
>             DSN 986-3747
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>