Re: ADA Popularity Discussion Request

From: Alexander E. Kopilovich (aek_at_VB1162.spb.edu)
Date: 09/08/04 

Date: Wed,  8 Sep 2004 23:46:44 +0400 (MSD)
To: comp.lang.ada@ada-france.org

Dmitry A. Kazakov wrote:

> On 08 Sep 2004 10:52:05 +0200, Ole-Hjalmar Kristensen wrote:
>
> >>>>>> "LD" == Lionel Draghi <Lionel.nospam.Draghi@Ada-France.org> writes:
> >
> > LD> jayessay wrote:
> > LD> ...
> > >> Exactly. Actually this sort of development will save you much more
> > >> time and money than you could ever hope for from typical static typing.
> >
> > LD> How could this be?
> > LD> With powerful typing you write code.
> > LD> Without, you write as much code and much more tests.
> >
> > You are missing the point. He is not arguing against strong typing,
> > but against *static* typing.
>
> Apparently, but when consistently pursued that kind of argumentation
> inevitable leads to arguing against any typing, especially against ADT. The
> philosophy behind is that types are random artifacts of the program, rather
> than the basis of software design.
No, the philosophy behind this is that there is no need for type systems to be
always of mainframe kind - comprehensive, complex, requiring distinguished and
rare experts for their creation, future development and general maintenance;
that there can be custom type systems - with lesser scope, that is, not so
universally applicable or useful, but bringing significant advantages in some
particular domains and which really can be succesfully created and controlled
at reasonable (more common and therefore more accessible) level of expertise.

Alexander Kopilovich aek@vib.usr.pu.ru
Saint-Petersburg
Russia

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