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From: ram@elmgate.UUCP (Randy Martens)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: \"C\" vrs ADA
Message-ID: <713@elmgate.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Aug-87 16:05:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: elmgate.713
Posted: Tue Aug 25 16:05:32 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 27-Aug-87 01:43:37 EDT
References: <8948@brl-adm.ARPA>
Reply-To: ram@elmgate.UUCP (Randy Martens)
Organization: The Little Yellow Box Company, Rochester, NY
Lines: 67
Keywords: freedom opinion c ada $##@%^$#%^$!!
Summary: freedom of opinion

In article <8948@brl-adm.ARPA> vis!greg@bass.nosc.MIL writes:
>Normally when someone writes an article with errors I prefer to send
>them a private message and ask them to post a followup correction.
>However, the recent article from John Unekis, purporting to give
>advice, is so full of inaccuracies that I've decided to risk his
>terminal embarrassment and post this followup with corrections and
>criticism.  John's article is indented, my comments are not.
>   
(lots of stuff deleted, much of it derogatory)
>   
>No service is provided to the community by this kind of article.  My
>sense from the style of the article is of little concern for accuracy.
>This is well supported by the remarkable number of errors.  The
>mixture of facts with opinions hurts both, and the virulent prejudices
>serve no one.  We all make these errors from time to time and to a
>certain extent.  This particularly bad example may inspire us all to
>be more careful!
>   
>_Greg
>   
>J. Greg Davidson			  Virtual Infinity Systems
>+1 (619) 452-8059        6231 Branting St; San Diego, CA 92122 USA
>    
----

I am sorry Greg, but I could not disagree with you more.

The right to hold and express an opinion is VITAL to our basic freedom, both
as engineers/programmers/users, and as citizens.  Mr. Unekis's posting gave
the world a chance to hear what he thought, which is the whole purpose of this
net - the free and open exchange of opinions, ideas, answers, questions, facts,
rumours, gibberish, and just plain information.  I DO NOT think that John's 
posting was "virulent", and I think that he did indeed provide a service to
the community, by providing topic for discussion.  This makes people think, and
thinking is a good thing.

I am now going to make a bold statement, which I will stress is my opinion.

ADA SUCKS !!!!

I am of the opinion that there are only three good high level computer
languages for most
situations.  I have seen and programmed in all the major languages ( I have
probably not seen some estoteric ones that are quite nice, I am sure, but
limited in scope or usage).  

For doing serious programming, the ONLY language is "C".  I have NEVER seen
an application written in another language that would not have been better/
faster/more flexible/more useful if re-written in "C".  This includes ADA and
COBOL (retch!!).  I proved this to a previous employers by redoing a DBMS
update program in "C", where before it had been in COBOL.

For hacking device drivers, writing critical code segments, or doing very
time critical applications, write it in "C", and then hand-optimize the
critical segemnts in Assembly Language.

For quick & dirty problem solving type programs, do it in FORTH.  FORTH is
also wonderful to play around in.  I have written some great games in FORTH.

For teaching programming to new CS'ers, use PASCAL.  PASCAL is a brute becuase
of its strong limitations, but it teaches good programming etiquette and style.
I also like PASCAL, particularly TURBO PASCAL for the home hacker.

The above are my opinions, and reflect only my face in mirror.

Randy Martens - !rochester!kodak!elmgate!ram
"Reality - What a Concept !!" - R.Williams