I'll take a shot at it. Why should any one learn Ada as their first language? Ada supports strong typing so that one will learn to define their one types and not just use the built in ones. This includes checks to make sure you are not mixing apples and oranges, use an out of bound array index or type value (think of all the buffer overflow errors), a access type (pointer) to the wrong type, etc. Ada supports good data abstraction models for example true enumeration types (not just named constants), implementer defined array bounds including enumerations and characters, array slices, typed pointers, function overloading, procedure overloading, operator overloading, string operators, etc. Ada supports object oriented programming, library programming, distributed programming, large group programing and modular programming. The "packaging" supports a clear, compiler enforced separation of specification and implementation. Ada supports multi-threading including synchronization operations with out having to learn a complicated library. Ada supports an easy to use text I/O model without having to learn a complicated library. For example, you can print an enumeration value, a single character, etc. with a "put variable_name" statement. Ada does this without having to learn it all to start. The Pascal subset is an easier language to learn and is more capable than C. Ada does not have a lot of "magic" like "=" vs "==", the preprocessor of C and C++, the include files needed to do anything, inability to nest functions in functions to control scope, etc. The current popular languages C, C++ and JAVA as starting languages ruin your ability to develop good reliable, readable, modifiable software. They make simple programs much more complicated than necessary and complicated programs even more complicated. These are my opinions and not necessarily those of current, past or future employers. Steve David Botton wrote: > I am surprised there have been no takers yet (ok, I know, turkey > weekend, but still). I am hoping to use responses to build a better > FAQ, articles, etc. The question was: > > Why should any one learn Ada as their first language? > > If we can't give a compelling answer to a question like that, we are in > big trouble.... > > David Botton > -- Steve Schwarm, W3EVE pager: 877-502-5473 or [log in to unmask] cell: 508-922-9688