On 15 Sep 2009 14:08:33 -0700, step...@hawaii.edu (Stephen Y Odo) wrote: >COBOL programmers CAN learn Java ... if management is willing to invest >in training them AND they are willing to learn! Note that BOTH >conditions must be true!
I'm not sure management has to be willing to invest in training - but it does have to be willing to accept that old CoBOL programmers have learned elsewhere and can do that work. Of course, your next quote gives one reason why they might not want to do that. >As for "cheaper and easier ..." yes. The old COBOL programmers tend to >be much higher up in the hierarchy and command better salaries because >they all have been here more than 20 years. Our new Java programmers >tend to be right out of school and are getting entry-level pay. >But our >old-timers understand how our customers run the business and have better >working relationships with them. True enough. Another reason why management doesn't think about old CoBOL programmers doing Java is because that's not the way things are done. Back when we had one predominate programming language, they got to thinking that programming was CoBOL. That's kind of like thinking that driving a taxi was about familiarity with the Checker automobile company. When Checker went out of business, they needed to hire all new cabbies and then teach them where things are in the city. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@bama.ua.edu with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
