I agree that Enterprise COBOL has the potentiality for excellent code. One thing lacking that exist for Java, Perl, Ruby, and other such languages is a HUGE support library. CPAN has so much good stuff in it that writing something like a browser in Perl is simple. Try it in COBOL. What COBOL needs is something equivalent to CPAN or the other user and vendor supplied support routines. I would shudder to try to write a browser in COBOL. Because I would have to do it ALL myself. And for "browser" substitute any advanced "Internet aware" functionality. Perhaps RDz (or whatever it's called) has advanced functionality for COBOL in it. I don't know. But writing a TCP/IP program in Java is, relatively, simple. It's even easier in other languages.
In terms of the "base" language itself, I can use most anything. OK, on Linux, I use Perl a LOT. Because I know it and love regular expressions and it's acceptably easy to use and fast (running and writing). I'm probably one of the few people who think that APL2 is interesting. -- John McKown Systems Engineer IV IT Administrative Services Group HealthMarkets(r) 9151 Boulevard 26 * N. Richland Hills * TX 76010 (817) 255-3225 phone * (817)-961-6183 cell john.mck...@healthmarkets.com * www.HealthMarkets.com Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message may contain confidential or proprietary information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. HealthMarkets(r) is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by the insurance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc. -The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company(r), Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of TennesseeSM and The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.SM > -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List > [mailto:ibm-m...@bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Steve Comstock > Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 12:17 PM > To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu > Subject: Re: Now is time for banks to replace core system > according to Accenture > <snip> > > Well, I know that you and I disagree on this somewhat, but I > think that COBOL has evolved to be a pretty nifty language > for what it's designed to do: automate business rules. > > Modern COBOL can handle Unicode, ASCII, and XML. It can run > as CGIs on the web. And well written COBOL is easier to > read than almost any other programming language. > > > I know we do agree that there's plenty of ugly COBOL code out > there (and there is plenty of ugly code out there in many > languages). Frankly, with the training business down so badly > I would be interested in looking at doing some COBOL code > modernization: updating existing code so it follows modern > COBOL capabilities. Not automated, just manually fixing the > code. > > Guess there's no accounting for taste! :-) > > -- > > Kind regards, > > -Steve Comstock > The Trainer's Friend, Inc. > > 303-393-8716 > http://www.trainersfriend.com > > z/OS Application development made easier > * Our classes include > + How things work > + Programming examples with realistic applications > + Starter / skeleton code > + Complete working programs > + Useful utilities and subroutines > + Tips and techniques > > ==> Ask about being added to our opt-in list: <== > ==> * Early announcement of new courses <== > ==> * Early announcement of new techincal papers <== > ==> * Early announcement of new promotions <== > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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 > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
