From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,FREEMAIL_FROM, REPLYTO_WITHOUT_TO_CC autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,3a9b49a9162025eb X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public X-Google-ArrivalTime: 2003-02-03 16:25:28 PST Path: archiver1.google.com!news1.google.com!newsfeed.stanford.edu!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!iad-peer.news.verio.net!news.verio.net!solaris.cc.vt.edu!news.vt.edu!msunews!not-for-mail From: "Chad R. Meiners" Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Subject: Re: Bye-bye Ada ? Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 19:19:49 -0500 Organization: Michigan State University Message-ID: References: <3E3B7BB5.A1A070@adaworks.com> <3NY_9.9226$x63.6255@nwrddc01.gnilink.net> <3E3EA605.60705@cogeco.ca> <1044294578.391198@master.nyc.kbcfp.com> Reply-To: "Chad R. Meiners" NNTP-Posting-Host: arctic.cse.msu.edu X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2720.3000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Xref: archiver1.google.com comp.lang.ada:33742 Date: 2003-02-03T19:19:49-05:00 List-Id: "Hyman Rosen" wrote in message news:1044294578.391198@master.nyc.kbcfp.com... > Warren W. Gay VE3WWG wrote: > > I should resist the temptation but... the same argument can be > > made for perl, FORTRAN and assembly language programming ;-) > > And correctly so. "It is a poof craftsman who blames his tools." Interesting take on a classic statement, but unfortunately a poor one since correct tool choice has real ramifications. Let's take a simple example. I needed to build a 4'x2'x4' mew for my wife. Now I am not a great carpenter, but the few pieces I do make are functional. Unfortunately, the only tools I had at the moment were silversmithing tools and a screwdriver. I constructed the mew with a jeweler's saw, a spring drill, a screwdriver, a pencil, and an understanding of geometry to get the proportions right. Unfortunately it took an entire day to build. If I would have had a saw horse, a backsaw, a power screwdriver/drill, and a tape measure, I would have completed the job in about an hour. So as you can see the problem was inappropriate tools for the job. Am I blaming the tools? Yes and no since I have identified the tools as the source of the problem, but I have also acknowledge that the tools were not appropriate for the job at hand. > I wish he was still around here, because I think Robert Dewar is > a prime exemplar of this philosophy, having written a fine COBOL > compiler in COBOL, just for example. And as he also said, writing > in assembly language, along with a data structure designed to take > advantage of the particulars of the instruction set, gives you a > program which can run rings around anything you can do in a higher > level language. I believe Dr. Dewar is a proponent of "the right tool" philosophy. Silversmithing tools are great when you want to make rings, necklaces, and forks. ;) -CRM