DDC-I now offers the TADS Ada Development System hosted on the PC Windows platform, including Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and Windows XP.
Over the years, the TADS Toolset has earned the respect and loyalty of customers for its solid reliability and highly optimized code generation, specifically tailored for mission-critical embedded systems development. As the effective lifetimes of many military and aerospace programs are being extended by upgrade rather than replacement, it is essential that the software tools host infrastructure can support these new requirements. Here is a summary of the many important advantages to be gained by migration to the TADS PC/Windows product.
Host Hardware Features and Flexibility
Availability and Cost
Configurability and Connectivity
Maintainability
Increased Host Performance
Reduced System Build Times
Interoperability with Other PC-hosted Software and Tools
Editing, CM, Modeling, Documentation
Freedom from Legacy Host Issues
Performance Limitations
System Reliability and Maintenance Costs
Availability of System-Specific Knowledge
Specific TADS Features to Facilitate Migration
Familiar User Interface
Flexible Command Line Syntax and Options
Reusability of System Build Scripts
DDC-I’s Extensive Experience in Migration Support
Support under Maintenance Agreement
Specialized High-Level Support Options
Custom Migration Consulting Services
DDC-I’s Ongoing Commitment to Active Product Maintenance
Periodic Maintenance Upgrade Releases
Support for New Versions of Windows
DDC-I’s Pledge of Complete and Uncompromising Support
Fast and Effective Response to Inquiries
“Number One in Customer Care”
Host Hardware Features and Flexibility
Availability and Cost. Most customers will require little or no additional investment in host hardware, as most development engineers already have a PC on their desk. Ever increasing performance and ever decreasing prices have made it economical to upgrade PC hardware when necessary, while older PC’s may be reallocated to other users with more modest requirements.
Configurability and Connectivity. Most PC’s are already networked, allowing installation of TADS on a server with common access for all developers to software and documentation. TADS host-to-target connections conform to industry standards customarily available in standard PC configurations.
Maintainability: For most customers, host system maintenance (administration, security, back-up, etc.) is already in place, and hardware technical support is available on-site.
Increased Host Performance
Reduced System Build Times: The time required for a system build is directly impacted by the availability and performance of host platform resources. Gains in performance depend on the particular capabilities of the old and new host platforms, but in general, the improvement will be substantial. A large-scale application system build that requires several days running on a dedicated legacy VAX/VMS platform, can now be accomplished on a development-grade PC in a few hours.
Actual Customer Experience: During a recent TADS PC/Windows evaluation, a current TADS VAX customer compiled and linked an existing production application on a PC platform in six (6) minutes, where the same application required six (6) hours on their VAX platform. Another of their larger production applications was compiled and linked in 20 minutes on the PC, as compared to 12 hours on the VAX. In both cases, because the VAX-hosted and PC-hosted compilers shared the same major version number (v5.x), the new executable images matched the old images bit for bit.
Interoperability with Other PC-hosted Software and Tools
TADS for PC/Windows brings the toolset fully into the environment where all other development-related activity usually occurs: design and modeling, source file editing, configuration management, and documentation. No longer is there a need for an awkward second physical terminal, or for Windows-based terminal software interfacing to another host system.
Freedom from Legacy Host Issues
Performance Limitations: Many legacy host platforms have become obsolete, offering performance levels far below today’s standards. Waiting days for a system build has become a significant negative impact on total development productivity.
System Reliability and Maintenance Costs: Maintaining obsolete host hardware, for example VAX, has become a very expensive proposition. Many such systems are near the end of their useful lives, and failures have become ever more frequent. The acquisition of replacement parts on the secondary market is difficult and expensive. The overall risk in these situations has increased dramatically, and a critical failure can be catastrophic.
Availability of System-Specific Knowledge: A risk factor often overlooked is the diminishing availability of engineers with system-specific knowledge of legacy platforms. This can be a “hidden” cost of legacy hosts systems.
Specific TADS Features to Facilitate Migration
Familiar User Interface: Developers already using TADS in a legacy environment will find the product to be completely familiar with respect to the Windows user interface.
Flexible Command Line Syntax and Options: Every effort has been made, within the limits imposed by the Windows command line interface (CLI), to preserve the TADS command line and options syntax from both VAX/VMS and Sun/Solaris environments. Differences are minimal and mostly Windows-specific, which will be natural for users.
Reusability of System Build Scripts: As many customers have made a significant investment in creating and maintaining scripts to control the system build process, the retention of much pre-existing TADS command and option syntax will greatly facilitate the reuse of such scripts. Modifications should be few and mostly Windows-specific.
Actual Customer Experience: “The process to go from a VAX-based build process to a PC-based build process is straightforward and relatively simple.”
DDC-I’s Extensive Experience in Migration Support
Support under Maintenance Agreement: DDC-I provides support for all aspects of TADS product use and functionality, which includes the basic elements of migration. Depending on the complexity of the customer system, and the degree to which the customer desires DDC-I involvement in the migration process, it may be necessary or advisable to consider a higher level of support.
Specialized High-Level Support Options: DDC-I can tailor a high-level support package to the particular needs of a customer. For instance, the support contract could be structured as a specified number of support hours or as a specified rate per support hour. A DDC-I Sales Representative will be glad to discuss these options in detail.
Custom Migration Consulting Services: To assure an effective and timely migration, DDC-I can provide on-site consulting. Our engineers become deeply involved with the specifics of the customer’s application(s), working side by side with the customer’s own development engineers in order to accomplish a successful transition.
DDC-I’s Ongoing Commitment to Active Product Maintenance
Periodic Maintenance Upgrade Releases: Included under the customer support contract at no additional charge, customers receive periodic maintenance upgrade releases of TADS, which include modifications and enhancements to improve performance and reliability. Many such changes are provided in response to inquiries from customers.
Support for New Versions of Windows: DDC-I is fully committed to supporting TADS for PC/Windows over the long term. This includes assuring that TADS is compatible with future versions of the Windows NT-based operating system.
DDC-I’s Pledge of Complete and Uncompromising Support
Fast and Effective Response to Inquiries: Whether just answering a question or investigating a complex problem, DDC-I provides fast and effective response to all customer inquiries. The customer is kept informed of the status, and the issue is resolved as directly as possible to the customer’s satisfaction. Suggestions and work-arounds are frequently provided to minimize the impact on customer development.
“Number One in Customer Care”: At DDC-I, we are proud of our pledge to provide the best customer support possible. Our reputation has been built upon this commitment.
Customer Quote:
"DDC-I has a good solution for us and your willingness to get down to the issues and help us get what we need has made it a clear choice."
