Rush,

These sound like good ideas ... something worth discussing at SIGAda 2000.
Perhaps one of those sessions Currie talked about.

Details on the CEF (that I have) are sketchy so far.  It was mentioned in
one
of the Tech Ed presentations I attended, and I haven't seen anything on it
yet
in the MSDN Universal subscription material.  I expect details to come out
there
first.

From what I can tell, the premise that the Pocket PC is in small numbers is
not
necessarily true.  Local stores (in my area) are constantly selling out of
them,
and last I checked there was a 1-month waiting list.  At Tech Ed, everyone I
ran
into seemed to know about them, and the Pocket PC displays in the exhibit
hall
were very crowded.  I think the vendors already see the value of them since
a
second generation is already out (of course, this was planned before the
launch
of the first generation).  I just got approval at Lockheed to get some for
our project work.

Rick
====================================
Richard Conn, Principal Investigator
Reuse Tapestry


-----Original Message-----
From: Kester, Rush W. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 9:21 AM
To: 'Richard Conn'; [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: The Pocket PC - a platform where Ada *should* have a
presence


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Conn [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 5:28 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: The Pocket PC - a platform where Ada *should* have a presence
>
<snipped summary about Pocket PC from Rick's first message>
>
> The "User's Report on the Pocket PC" is at --
>   http://unicoi.kennesaw.edu/~rconn/pocket_pc/index.htm
>
> This is definitely a platform on which Ada should have a presence.
>
> Enjoy the report(s),
> Rick
> ====================================
> Richard Conn, Principal Investigator
> Reuse Tapestry

Rick,

I looked at the stuff on the Pocket PC at the URL above.  It looks
like a neat tool.  Pocket Personal Computers (PPC) are definitely
an area with a future.  Pocket organizers with only limited
functional capabilities are just that "limited."  On the otherhand
the possibilities for something like the Pocket PC, which is
programmable are almost unlimited.

I have a request and a suggestion that I think will further your
desire to have an Ada for the Pocket PC.  The request is to you to
determine if the Common Executable Format they are moving to is
anything like Java Byte Code for the Java Virtual Machine.  If the
CEF is close to Java, you are closer to the solution.

My suggestion stems from two premises.  First, the number of Ada
developers is small.  Second, the number with Pocket PCs is even
smaller.  Given these premises, the market demand for an Ada
compiler for the PPC is too small to justify the expense.  If this
is to succeed, it will do so because of volunteers or venture
capitalists.  So far, you're the volunteer in the best position
to "make something happen."

My suggestion is for you to contact ACT about helping you, and
perhaps other Adaphiles, to port GNAT to Windows CE 3.  You might
even contact your Microsoft friends to see if you can convince
them that a robust, internationally standardized language like
Ada is the right choice for this Windows CE 3 environment.

Rush Kester
charter member Team Ada