mcp@sei.cmu.edu (Mark Paulk) (08/01/89)
While visiting sunny, smoggy southern California, my colleague Albert Johnson
noticed an interesting article which he describes in the following post made
at the SEI. It also seems of interest to netland...
=======
Did you know that Congressman A. F. Day has introduced legislation that
would make Ada the official computer language of the United States? This
appeared in a sidebar in the Hurst Project Managers' Newsletter, v. 1, no. 6,
June 1989, p.10, being quoted from "Tools of the Trade" by Warren Keuffel,
"Computer Language" of April 1989, page 31.
Quoth Day: "This legislation is intended to increase the software
productivity of American Programmers. When we are faced with increasing
competition from foreign programmers, it becomes essential to concentrate
our resources where they will do the most good."
Day's bill establishes civil and criminal penalties for any programmer who
uses archaic languages like FORTRAN, BASIC, or C.
If you have comments, you may write to:
The Honorable A. F. Day
401 Rayburn Office Building
Washington, D. C. 04189
=======
I would laugh, except there's always the possibility that this bill could
be passed. Does anyone out there know what the status of this is? If it
was discussed in April, I would hope that it's a dead issue by now.
Otherwise we might be facing another PI=22/7 by legislative fiat joke :-)
--
Mark C. Paulk
mcp@sei.cmu.edu
"Maturity is a function of scar tissue."emuleomo@accur8.UUCP (Olumide Emuleomo) (08/01/89)
> Did you know that Congressman A. F. Day has introduced legislation that > would make Ada the official computer language of the United States? This > etc.... > Day's bill establishes civil and criminal penalties for any programmer who > uses archaic languages like FORTRAN, BASIC, or C. > Big brother is watching you! What next? A legislation to outlaw "unproductive" single-tasking Operating systems like MS-DOS because they are not cost effective? How about banning JCL? And what about those of us who can write a single line of ADA code? What is going to become of us? Maybe I should start training to be a Nurse! There is a 27% shortage of nurses in the market right now! Emuleomo O O (emuleomo@accur8@uunet.uu.net)
levin@bbn.com (Joel B Levin) (08/01/89)
Well, I was got good, as was pointed out after I reposted this article around BBN. In article <9693@aw.sei.cmu.edu> mcp@sei.cmu.edu (Mark Paulk) writes: |While visiting sunny, smoggy southern California, my colleague Albert Johnson |noticed an interesting article which he describes in the following post made |at the SEI. It also seems of interest to netland... | |======= | |Did you know that Congressman A. F. Day has introduced legislation that |would make Ada the official computer language of the United States? . . . |[from] "Computer Language" of April 1989, page 31. . . . . |If you have comments, you may write to: | |The Honorable A. F. Day |401 Rayburn Office Building |Washington, D. C. 04189 . . . . | If it |was discussed in April, I would hope that it's a dead issue by now. |Otherwise we might be facing another PI=22/7 by legislative fiat joke :-) Oh, it was April all right. Check the Congressman's name, office number, and ZIP code. = UUCP: levin@bbn.com (new) or {backbone}!bbn!levin (old) INTERNET: levin@bbn.com POTS: (617) 873-3463 "The night was"
karenc@amadeus.LA.TEK.COM (Karen Cate) (08/01/89)
In article <9693@aw.sei.cmu.edu> mcp@sei.cmu.edu (Mark Paulk) writes: >Did you know that Congressman A. F. Day has introduced legislation that >would make Ada the official computer language of the United States? This I would expect that even if congress were stupid enough to pass such a law, it would be thrown out in the courts as a restraint of trade, or something. Wouldn't they? I hope? Well, I guess if they do get serious, we can just threaten their credit ratings... :-) Karen A. Cate karenc@amadeus.LA.TEK.COM -OR- ...!tektronix!amadeus!karenc
beierl_c@apollo.HP.COM (Christopher Beierl) (08/01/89)
In article <9693@aw.sei.cmu.edu> mcp@sei.cmu.edu (Mark Paulk) writes: [...]> >Did you know that Congressman A. F. Day has introduced legislation that I would guess that the Congressman's middle name is Fools and his first is probably April (must be a Congresswoman :). >would make Ada the official computer language of the United States? This >appeared in a sidebar in the Hurst Project Managers' Newsletter, v. 1, no. 6, >June 1989, p.10, being quoted from "Tools of the Trade" by Warren Keuffel, >"Computer Language" of April 1989, page 31. > [...] > >I would laugh, except there's always the possibility that this bill could >be passed. Does anyone out there know what the status of this is? If it >was discussed in April, I would hope that it's a dead issue by now. >Otherwise we might be facing another PI=22/7 by legislative fiat joke :-) >-- >Mark C. Paulk > mcp@sei.cmu.edu > "Maturity is a function of scar tissue." -- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Christopher T. Beierl Internet: beierl_c@apollo.HP.COM Apollo Computer, Inc. UUCP: {mit-eddie,yale,uw-beaver}!apollo!beierl_c A Subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard Phone: (508) 256-6600
collin@hpindda.HP.COM (Collin Park) (08/02/89)
> Did you know that Congressman A. F. Day has introduced legislation that ^^^^^^^^^ Stands for "April Fools Day" > would make Ada the official computer language of the United States? This > appeared in a sidebar in the Hurst Project Managers' Newsletter, v. 1, no. 6, > June 1989, p.10, being quoted from "Tools of the Trade" by Warren Keuffel, > "Computer Language" of April 1989, page 31. ^^^^^^^^^^ i.e., April 1, 1989. I note that no state has owned up to having elected such a clown.... > > [stuff deleted] > > If you have comments, you may write to: > > The Honorable A. F. Day > 401 Rayburn Office Building ^^^ > Washington, D. C. 04189 ^^^^^ Okay, the room number is 401, uh, 4/1?? And this ZIP code is 4/1/89??!? This is not the D.C ZIP code, by the way (the real one is 204xx). > > ======= > > I would laugh, except there's always the possibility that this bill could ^^^^^ Make that "should." > be passed. Does anyone out there know what the status of this is? If it > was discussed in April, I would hope that it's a dead issue by now. > Otherwise we might be facing another PI=22/7 by legislative fiat joke :-) > -- > Mark C. Paulk > mcp@sei.cmu.edu > "Maturity is a function of scar tissue." > ---------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unless explicitly stated otherwise, opinions expressed above are my own and do not explicitly reflect those of the Hewlett-Packard Company or any other person or entity. collin park Hewlett-Packard Company collin%hpda@hplabs.hp.com 19420 Homestead Road -- MS 43LT Cupertino, CA 95014 USA
runyan@hpirs.HP.COM (Mark Runyan) (08/02/89)
>/ mcp@sei.cmu.edu (Mark Paulk) / 1:46 pm Jul 31, 1989 / >The Honorable A. F. Day >... One has to wonder if the "A. F." stands for April Fool's. >... >I would laugh, except there's always the possibility that this bill could >be passed. Does anyone out there know what the status of this is? If it >was discussed in April, I would hope that it's a dead issue by now. >Otherwise we might be facing another PI=22/7 by legislative fiat joke :-) And this was in the April issue? Mark Runyan
djones@megatest.UUCP (Dave Jones) (08/02/89)
From article <9693@aw.sei.cmu.edu), by mcp@sei.cmu.edu (Mark Paulk): ... ) ) Did you know that Congressman A. F. Day has introduced legislation that ) would make Ada the official computer language of the United States? This ) appeared in a sidebar in the Hurst Project Managers' Newsletter, v. 1, no. 6, ) June 1989, p.10, being quoted from "Tools of the Trade" by Warren Keuffel, ) "Computer Language" of April 1989, page 31. ) April, eh? Is there any chance that it is an April Fools' joke? Please investigate.
mcp@sei.cmu.edu (Mark Paulk) (08/02/89)
Uhhh, perhaps I should point out that this was originally published
in April, and the name of the congressman is A.F. Day. The sad part
of the joke is that it has been picked up by other newsletters as a
"serious" bit of news. Seeing it in an April issue is one thing; seeing
it in a June issue is a little bit more disconcerting. Were the editors
passing along a good joke? When I got into the Ada community back
around '83, that piece of legislation would not have necessarily been
viewed as a joke - or very funny. There was a time when the policy
statements were being espoused along the lines "lack of an Ada compiler
for your target are not sufficient grounds for a waiver. One should be
available by the time you get to coding." :-(
--
Mark C. Paulk
mcp@sei.cmu.edu
"Maturity is a function of scar tissue."mcp@sei.cmu.edu (Mark Paulk) (08/02/89)
I should also admit, mea culpa, I didn't catch that this was an April
Fool's joke until AFTER posting the item. Teach me to read more carefully
next time! (And think for that matter.)
--
Mark C. Paulk
mcp@sei.cmu.edu
"Maturity is a function of scar tissue."