Mike Baldwin wrote:
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.
Well! Maybe COBOL is no longer being taught in the universities,
but it is still being taught by us and our competitors and our
colleagues.
Maybe the Auditor-General people need to know that today's COBOL
can handle modern constructs and data formats. COBOL can process
Unicode and ASCII data, extract and create XML, work with DB2 using
LOBs (which means it can handle images and media files just
fine, thank you); COBOL can be used to create or access
DLLs, and on and on.
The program also uses a database system called
DMSII that dates back to the 1970s...."
I have no knowledge of that product, so can't comment.
But the story smacks of someone already having made their
mind up, and facts will not get in the way. Once again
IBM has not told their story well. And I lay this kind
of result squarely at the feet of IBM.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/government-wont-let-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
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-Steve Comstock
The Trainer's Friend, Inc.
303-393-8716
http://www.trainersfriend.com
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