A comparison of Ada and Java as a foundation teaching language

ABSTRACT

Java has entered the software arena in unprecedented fashion, upstaging languages and technologies that are longstanding players in the industry. Almost unheard of before 1995, the language and its surrounding technology are attracting increasing attention not merely in the hardware and software communities but also among lay users and in the popular press. This phenomenon has not escaped the attention of academia, and a growing number of colleges and universities are looking at Java as a candidate "foundation" language on which to base computer science curricula.This paper looks at the role of a programming language for teaching computer science courses and compares Ada and Java against the identified criteria. It concludes that Ada is the superior choice, based on technical factors such as its more comprehensive feature set and its methodology-neutral design, and also taking into account external factors including the availability of good but inexpensive compilation environments.Section 1 provides a brief overview of the Java technology. Section 2 identifies the criteria relevant to choosing a programming language for a foundation-level Computer Science course. Section 3 compares Ada and Java with respect to the criteria related to technical aspects of the language, and Section 4 compares the languages with respect to external factors. Section 5 summarizes the conclusions of this analysis.Appendix A furnishes a summary of the Java language. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with Ada, and thus an Ada language summary is not included. Web sites with links to Ada information include [SIGAda], [Kempe1], and [AdaIC].

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  D. Software
  D.3 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

General Terms:
Documentation