mathis@CTC.CONTEL.COM (Bob Mathis x4232) (02/02/90)
This message contains some ideas for a "Ten Commandments" for the requirements and revision of Ada. I have brought together some ideas that I think are related and given them titles. If this list doesn't provoke some discussion, then some net nodes must be inoperative. 1. PUBLIC -- involve public in all phases of revision and standardization; be responsive to various special interest communities; continue focus on primary customers; coordinate with Ada-related professional groups 2. CONSERVATIVE -- minimum change with maximum positive impact; maximum compatibility with current programs and compilers; generally conservative; revision not redesign 3. ISO -- revision of text to incorporate approved AIs; use of large character set in strings and literals; adapt for better fit with other ISO standards and guidelines 4. OOP -- increased support for object-oriented program development paradigm while remaining consistent with Ada's support for other paradigms and Ada's existing features addressing similar goals 5. REAL-TIME -- improved suitability for and predictability of real-time performance (dynamic priorities, distributed time-outs, aborts, asynchronous communication, etc.); require more documentation of run-time performance in Appendix F 6. RELIABLE -- features for improving reliability of applications programs; maximize the possibilities for static analysis of program correctness 7. INTERFACES -- improved facilities for interfacing to external systems (GKS, CCIS, X, SQL, etc.); secondary and supplemental standards for use with commercial data processing; adaptation to multi-lingual environments 8. SIMPLIFY/UNIFY -- improve overall language consistency; remove unnecessary limits and "silly" requirements in the current language; reduce implementation freedom/inconsistency (clarify and specify in RM); increase language orthogonality; increase language integration; improve the similarity between user defined and predefined constructs (types, exceptions, etc.); improve Ada from the perspective of "least surprise" 9. STRICT CONFORMANCE -- continued strict enforcement of no subsets/no supersets; but encourage compiler writers and tool developers to experiment with new ideas for supporting program development 10. KEEP IT ADA -- keep strong typing, encapsulation, separate compilation, information hiding, static binding, packages, tasks, rendezvous, generics, and other aspects of current Ada approach
billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu (William Thomas Wolfe, 2847 ) (02/04/90)
From mathis@CTC.CONTEL.COM (Bob Mathis x4232): > 4. OOP -- increased support for object-oriented program > development paradigm while remaining consistent with Ada's > support for other paradigms and Ada's existing features > addressing similar goals > % 8. SIMPLIFY/UNIFY -- [...] increase language integration; [...] > > 10. KEEP IT ADA -- keep strong typing, encapsulation, separate > compilation, information hiding, static binding, packages, tasks, > rendezvous, generics, and other aspects of current Ada approach My only comment is that in the interests of Sections 4 and 8, the keeping of packages and tasks (Section 10) should be done indirectly. These two concepts should be integrated into the simple and intuitively appealing concept of an "object". Bill Wolfe, wtwolfe@hubcap.clemson.edu
mitchell@community-chest.uucp (George Mitchell) (02/07/90)
In article <9002021545.AA03784@ctc.contel.com> mathis@CTC.CONTEL.COM
(Bob Mathis x4232) wrote:
`1. PUBLIC ....
`2. CONSERVATIVE ....
`9. STRICT CONFORMANCE ....
`10. KEEP IT ADA ....
The Ada9X effort has been underway for some time. Do any of the above
"command" some kind of change to the way they have been working?
`3. ISO ....
`4. OOP ....
`5. REAL-TIME ....
`6. RELIABLE ....
`7. INTERFACES ....
`8. SIMPLIFY/UNIFY ....
Were any of the above supported by submissions to Ada9X? If not, why are you
raising the issues now? If so, do you have reason to believe that they
require greater consideration than you expect them to receive?
--
/s/ George vmail: 703/883-6029
email: mitchell@community-chest.mitre.org [alt: gmitchel@mitre.arpa]
snail: GB Mitchell, MITRE, MS Z676, 7525 Colshire Dr, McLean, VA 22102