Easy solution. Declare COBOL a national treasure and force all Universities in Canada to teach it as a prerequisite to any other Computer Science class. Or at least as a graduation requirement for a Bachelor's degree in CS. That's "the government way". Just pass a law. I mean, I had to take classes that I didn't like in order to get my B.Sc. in Math. (like English and History), Why not require COBOL? It's no more arbitrary than anything else that nobody wants to take. And there are PC based COBOL compilers (at least for Windows). DMSII doesn't ring a bell, but according to Wikipedia: <quote>DMSII provided: an ISAM model for data access, transaction isolation and database recovery capabilities.</quote> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unisys_DMSII . So all that is needed is another database system which has the same API to replace it.
-- 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 Mike Baldwin > Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 8:25 AM > To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu > Subject: COBOL - no longer being taught - is a problem > > Hi IBM-MAIN, > > Yesterday Canada's well-respected auditor-general released a report > complaining that aging government computer systems could halt > delivery of > basic services. So we're bracing for the usual criticism of > 'old mainframe' > systems. Today there are some specifics, including COBOL: > > "Auditor-General reports that updating systems could cost billions > ... > Ms. Fraser said the problem is so bad that some key programs > may shut down. > ... > Meanwhile, Canada's National Immigration Program runs on a programming > language - COBOL - that is no longer being taught and the staff that > understand it are retiring. The program also uses a database > system called > DMSII that dates back to the 1970s...." > > http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/government-wont-l > et-aging-computers-halt-basic-services-day-says/article1540750/ > > Maybe you guys and girls have some ideas that would save us > taxpayers from > paying rising interest on more billions borrowed. > > Regards, > Mike Baldwin > Cartagena Software Limited > Markham, Ontario, Canada > http://www.cartagena.com > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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
