bellon@bizet.kulesat.uucp (06/26/89)
We are an image processing group and would like to switch from the
programming language we are using now (VAX-Pascal, only running under
VMS) to a more portable language.
We are considering C, C++ and Ada. We have some general idea about the
possibilities and the weaknesses of the languages (the purely technical
aspect). However, we would like to obtain more information on the practical
aspects, as e.g. with regards to the compatibility with other groups. We
have the idea that (in Europe) C is THE language used in most companies.
If Ada is not going to become more widespread, using C might be the safer
choice, although we do not feel that lucky with the software engineering
aspects of C). If the opposite becomes true, we might go trough pains to
convert to a less powerful and less userfriendly language only to find
ourselves in a suboptimal position again.
If you have considered simular alternatives in the near past, please
E-mail the arguments that have motivated your choice.
Also, if you know about some arguments you feel we probably have overlooked,
please feel free to mail them.
But, please do not start a pathetic discussion between Ada and C fans on
the net.
Anyone has a conversion program from VAX-Pascal to any of the languages
I mentioned ?
Erwin Bellon (Software Manager)
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Dept. Elect. Engineering
ESAT / MI2
Kard. Mercierlaan 94
3030 HEVERLEE
Belgium
Tel. 32 - 16 - 220931 (ext. 1041)
Email : ...!kulcs!kulesat!bellon (UUCP)
bellon%kulesat.uucp@blekul60 (BITNET)
psi%02062166012::bellon (PSI MAIL)sdl@linus.UUCP (Steven D. Litvintchouk) (06/30/89)
In article <1317@bizet.kulesat.uucp> bellon@bizet.kulesat.uucp writes: > We are an image processing group and would like to switch from the > programming language we are using now (VAX-Pascal, only running under > VMS) to a more portable language. > > We are considering C, C++ and Ada. We have some general idea about the > possibilities and the weaknesses of the languages (the purely technical > aspect). However, we would like to obtain more information on the practical > aspects, as e.g. with regards to the compatibility with other groups. We > have the idea that (in Europe) C is THE language used in most > companies. And even worse, C++ is winning in the object-oriented arena. How depressing. > If Ada is not going to become more widespread, using C might be the safer > choice, although we do not feel that lucky with the software engineering > aspects of C). If the opposite becomes true, we might go trough pains to > convert to a less powerful and less userfriendly language only to find > ourselves in a suboptimal position again. Without knowing more about your application, it's hard to advise you. How long-lived is the application? Who will be maintaining it? Will it need to be ported to a variety of targets, requiring a variety of cross compilers? And how important is object-orientation to your development methodology? Here are two other possibilities you may have overlooked. 1. Use an object-oriented extension to Ada. For example, Classic-Ada supports classes and inheritance, and comes with a translator that converts the Classic-Ada code to legal Ada. 2. Check out Eiffel. Eiffel is a strongly typed, highly readable language (in fact, its syntax is vaguely similar to Ada). Eiffel supports exceptions and generics as well as object-orientation and multiple inheritance, and will be available on several different platforms (soon, we hope). The problem with Eiffel, to date, has been the uncertainty of dealing with a single (startup) vendor. Steven Litvintchouk MITRE Corporation Burlington Road Bedford, MA 01730 Fone: (617)271-7753 ARPA: sdl@mitre-bedford.arpa UUCP: ...{att,decvax,genrad,ll-xn,philabs,utzoo}!linus!sdl "Those who will be able to conquer software will be able to conquer the world." -- Tadahiro Sekimoto, president, NEC Corp.