Re: Incorporating 9X into Ada courses

[cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!uvaarpa!vger .nsu.edu!g_harrison@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (George C. Harrison, Norfolk State Uni]

In article <1993Apr30.160400.25617@seas.gwu.edu>, mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michae
l Feldman) writes:
> In article <C6AuFs.GEr@ddciiny.UUCP> jls@ddciiny.UUCP (Jonathan Schilling) wr
ites:
>>
>>Not to get into the general argument about whether the existence of the
>>Ada market as a whole is due to lack of competition, it must be noted
>>that *within* the Ada market, there is definitely competition.  There are

.. good comments... from Greg, Mike, and Jonathan Schilling

Given that the Ada mandate has really directly or indirectly caused Ada vendors
not to market on a wide basis, there is still the old cause that we have to
seriously consider:  Borland and Microsoft.

These companies know how to sell software.  
As was speculated at the TRI-Ada and Ada Technology conferences, they also 
have a stake in not supporting Ada environments: it may only erode their C/C++
markets, and the cost of Ada development, marketing, etc. is not worth the
trade off.

However, the world is not using C++.  Companies still use (and purchase updates
to) PL/1, Pascal, C, FORTRAN, etc.  There is also the problem that some
companies don't advertise what software they use.  Personal conversations at
the above conferences proved to me that Ada is more widely used than can be
publically documented.
 
... maybe we need to encourage Computer Language Magazine to have an 
annual Ada issue.  maybe those up us in the academic market should yell
for more and better educational discounts.  maybe we ought to refuse to 
purchase equipment that doesn't come with Ada compilers.  
 
George

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