[0169] (46 lines) Lippard.Multics 12/21/87  2057.0 mst Mon misc
Subject:  ADA: The Devil's Work
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 87 12:18:08 EST
From: jfw@nc.MIT.EDU (John Woods)
To: info-cobol@ccc
Subject: From the Journal of Irreproducible Results
Cc: frog!john@nc.MIT.EDU, wdc@athena.mit.edu

(Sept/Oct 1987, Vol 33 Nr 1, Page 4)

          ADA*  The Devil's Work

                    Herman Higgins
                    Laurel, MD

   Recently, while taking an ADA course, a view-graph was shown that said:
"...they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they
will do; and nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for
them, Genesis 11:6".[1]  I am somewhat curious by nature and when I got home
I looked up this quote.  I read the whole verse and then the next, 11:7.  It
said: "Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may
not understand one another's speech."  God was speaking.  God did not want
man to have a common language.  The Devil, always looking for ways to cause
trouble, has found a way after all these centuries to confound God's wishes.
ADA was developed.
   ADA has been gaining popularity an an international language.  If it
continues to gain support all the nations of the world will be able to
communicate with one another and thus shall be disobeying the Will of God.
The Devil loves this.  He, through his minions,[2] has created an unholy
alliance of men who use this abomination called ADA.  This alliance will
eventually bring down the wrath of God upon mankind and his works, much to
the delight of Satan.  Not only that, but since a common language is a first
big step to that most dreaded of instutitions, a One World Government,[3] we
will all suffer mightily for their sins.
   What can we do?  What can we do to save ourselves?  We must abandon this
devilish language, cast it out to the pit of obsolescence, remove all those
who would save it, and return to the more Godly languages our fathers knew,
i.e. machine language, LISP, and APL.  Amen.

* Copyright Department of Defense
[1] Revised Standard Version of The Bible
[2] It is probably unfair to class the Pentagon, in general, and its
    lieutenant, the French company that created ADA, as minions of the Devil,
    but I will here.
[3] Spelled C-O-M-M-U-N-I-S-M.

[Editor's note:  Well, now it is revealed that by maintaining info-cobol,
we are doing God's work!]
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