ADAwars

[Zed Smith]

Back in the dark reaches, before the empire, there existed
peace.  Not a peace brought about by tyrannical rulers
quelling every rebellion, but peace brought about through
the power of the flame.   This power was immense, respected
by all.   The flame did not attack the innocent or free,
only those who were stupid and unable to comprehend.

These glorious days could not last long.   There were greater
powers in the world that would someday attempt to eliminate
the flame.   They were known as dod.  dod was not inherently
evil (or so they legend goes), but it was hungry for money
and did not respect the freedom of the believer to wear a
tshirt or to grow long hair.  (something like the ibm power)

(Fortunately ibm and dod did not join forces.)   There was a small
band of programmers.  (In the days of great insults they  were
referred to as a community, a title to which they promptly rebelled)
This band of programmers supported freedom, apple pie and the ability
to write thousands, nay, hundreds of thousands of lines of code at
the slightest whim.   This band of programmers was happy and their 
bosses were happy.

In the dark ages of the empire, the wolf raised his call and said
ada was the answer.  ada solved all problems.   What were these
questions though?   A major revolt ensued.   comp.lang.c was 
engulfed.   A few hardy souls had survived the last time the wolf
raised the call of ada.   In comp.lang.fortran it was difficult to
find a worthy foe for the wolf due to their smallness of numbers.
comp.lang.c has great numbers.    Will the band of programmers
survive?  Will this great battle, like unto the war for the end
of time, ever end?   One cannot know the future, but the power of
the flame is great.  Unfortunately, so is the power of the counterflame,
the power of misinformation and the power of personal insult.  It
is a difficult contest that must not be misconstrued to imply that
ada, an inanimate object can be better than the c, another inanimate
object.   It is the animator, the wolf and the band of programmers
that will fight this battle and c and ada will be unscathed.

It is a sad day in Mudville.

Zed Smith
pur-ee!mdbs!zed