Bruce writes:
>
> Rich Gambrell writes:
> >[Duane Percox writes:]
> >>
> >> Bruce pointed out the error of my ways:
> >>
> >[snip content!]
> >>
> >> Thanks Bruce! I guess it was too much to ask for three products from the
> >> same company for the same system to operate together cohesively and
> >>correctly!
> >>
> >And this kind of thing is why we used to buy MPE! Why will we in the future?
>
> Whoa... don't pin this one on HP management! When you allow mixing of
> languages through a common calling convention, somebody has to sort out the
> differences in procedure calling semantics among all the supported
> languages. Pascal and COBOL each have constructs that the other can't
> understand by virtue of the languages themselves. I think that the COBOL
> engineers made the wrong trade-off in this situation -- there's no way that
> a trade-off could have been avoided -- but that's hardly a condemnation of
> the overall design, which has proven very flexible.
>
> -- Bruce
>
 
For MPE to survive, it has to maintain the "added-value" beyond Unix that
most of us on the list (including me) know and respect.  My comment was
intended to focus on what makes MPE, in the area of programming lanquages, an
"added-value".  The debate about c++ on the 3000 is centered on this.  If
progress on MPE means running Unix derived compilers - just like they are on
Unix - then there is no added value in the area of programming lanquages.
 
MPE has, in my view (and dispite my comment on the current message tread), a
strong tradition of interoperability between lanquages and in maintaining a
good tradeoffs between the "sprit" of the lanquage and the needs of the MPE
programmer. This strong tradition requires an on-going effort for MPE to
survive and thrive. Perhaps the costs of doing this are just beyond the
practical possibilities, even for life on the margins of the industry. If so,
then HP needs to stand up and tell us that MPE will have a "obsoleted" date
within the next 5 years and we can all prepare for leaving it behind.
 
--
-- - - - Speaking for myself and not necessarily anybody else - - - - - -
Richard Gambrell        | Internet: [log in to unmask]
Mgr. Tech. Services     | POT:      504-483-7454     FAX: 504-482-1561
Xavier University of LA | Smail:    7325 Palmetto, New Orleans, LA 70125