mfeldman@seas.gwu.edu (Michael Feldman) (04/19/91)
Referring to Frank Pappas' posting summarizing his PC Week comparative review, thanks very much for posting this. I'm glad for the recent comparison between Meridian and Janus systems, especially. I stopped using IntegrAda (aka Janus) when OpenAda came along; in fact I use Unix compilers for most of my development work, and move code to PC systems for portability comparisons but mostly for teaching purposes. I have made it a practice to try and avoid pushing one vendor's product; I value my independence, and so try to be as objective as I can (this is not intended as a swipe at Frank, whose goal is different - his readers are looking for an _evaluation_, which indeed should be judgemental). When students asked for recommendations for a compiler to buy, I used to give Meridian and IntegrAda equal billing, but gave up on IntegrAda because their pricing policy and packaging was constantly shifting and it was frustrating everyone. Since the advent of OpenAda, and especially Meridian's $149. student price, it's the only player on the block. I do point out to them that if they have a big 386 machine and want to do really serious Ada, they should investigate both Alsys' and Meridian's 386 versions, with which I have little personal experience. Alsys' using the term "FirstAda" for their 286 product is a bit misleading, because of the implication that it's a good "first" compiler. But for whom? Students? Not at those prices. Industry projects? Well, maybe. But wouldn't a "serious" project want to go all the way and get the 386 version? If Alsys were to drop the FirstAda price (single-unit) to the $299. non-academic OpenAda price, undoubtedly FirstAda would win on a price/performance basis. But for _individuals_ buying a compiler out of their own pocket for educational or hobbyist purposes, OpenAda is the only way to fly. For individual purchasers, FirstAda is second. <<soapbox alert>> Whatever one's technical preferences in a compiler, I can tell you from personal experience - and from the experience of many of my students - that the folks at Meridian are by far the friendliest to students and educators. I have dealt with a lot of vendors over the years. No doubt they are all helpful and friendly to industry customers, whom they perceive as "serious." But their customers in the education world are seen, I fear, as "small potatoes" who are receiving a discount as a favor. Meridian has gone overboard in working with educators and students, and is greatly to be praised for this. Recently there has been much discussion at Ada and SIGCSE conferences on the (slow) progress of Ada in the academic world. A frequent complaint of mine is that the Ada compiler vendors have not (yet) realized the effective ally we can be in making the Ada pie bigger for everyone. Meridian has not only revamped their products and their pricing to make them attractive to folks like us, but has adopted a very constructive and helpful attitude toward us as well. Were other vendors to emulate Meridian in this regard, Ada would be much better off, I think. <<all clear>> Mike Feldman