Too rude? I don't think so! Mike At 7:34 AM -0500 6/30/97, David Weller wrote: >Well, I know that Hal Hart and Oliver Cole are wrestling with a reply >to DDJ. I don't care, I'm just an "Average Ada Joe" who got miffed at >the DDJ article. Felt I had to write something. It's probably more >rude than it needs to be, but that's just me :-) I'm posting it here >for your enjoyment > > >> Subject: An Ode to Ada? >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 07:36:00 -0500 (CDT) >> >> In the words of Mark Twain, "Rumors of my death have been greatly >> exaggerated." It was disappointing to read Mr. Kim's commentary on >> the DoD's choice to end the "mandate" of Ada as their primary >> programming language. I am among many, however, who applaud the DoD's >> decision. Ada is healthy enough to stand on its own against the two >> competitors: C++ and Java. As a developer very experienced in all >> three languages, I choose Ada wherever I can. I can generate Java >> bytecode directly from Ada, allowing me to quickly deliver web-based >> applets in a language significantly richer than Java. And for those >> that argue the Ada is too "verbose", it should be noted that the >> Ada 95 Booch Components are approx 15% _smaller_ than the same >> Booch Components in C++! Mr. Kim's arguments against tools have some >> merit, but the most common C++ tools, those that perform >> bounds-checking and leak-detection, are practically useless for Ada. >> Those checking features can be turned on and off at a switch from the >>compiler. >> Of course, most vendors don't deliver Ada interfaces to their >> products, but Ada comes with a standard mechanism for incorporating C, >> Fortran, and COBOL interfaces right away (a novel way to use legacy >> code in web apps: Write Ada applets in Java bytecode, and let your >> server apps, also written in Ada, make calls to your legacy systems). >> Compiler and tool prices are now on an even playing field with C++ >> tools, and Ada already has the advantage of being a stable ISO standard >> with optional compiler certification. It will be at least another two >> years before we see that in C++. It's true that there are fewer >> people trained in Ada, but my personal experience is that C people >> reach "expert" level significantly faster (about a factor of two) in >> Ada than they do in C++. >> >> Market forces, indeed. I'll remember my parent's admonishment in this >> case, "If Eugene Eric Kim jumped off a cliff, would you do it to?" No >> thanks, Mr. Kim, I'll just watch you and the rest of the lemmings do >> your thing. >> >> David Weller >> [log in to unmask] >> Author, Ada 95 Booch Components (www.rivatech.com/booch) >> ------------------------------------------------------- Michael Stark NASA/GSFC Phone: (301) 286-5048 Code 552 Fax: (301) 286-0245 Greenbelt, MD 20771 e-mail: [log in to unmask] "A civilization is not destroyed by wicked people; it is not necessary that people be wicked but only that they be spineless" -- James Baldwin -------------------------------------------------------