Yea, a lot of this has to do with the way the media reports it. Just like the "Mainframe is Dead" situation of several years ago, they feel the if something new comes along - new hardware, new programming language - the old has to go. There is no understanding that each has a place and a purpose. Also, even when it is shown to not be "dead" they don't change their tune.
Tom Kelman Enterprise Capacity Planner Commerce Bank of Kansas City (816) 760-7632 > -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:ibm-m...@bama.ua.edu] On > Behalf Of Jim Elliott, IBM > Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 5:47 AM > To: IBM-MAIN@bama.ua.edu > Subject: Re: COBOL - no longer being taught - is a problem > > On Wed, 21 Apr 2010 09:35:00 -0500, Kelman, Tom > <thomas.kel...@commercebank.com> wrote: > > >John, > > > >That WikiPedia article also states that DMSII was created by Burroughs > >(later UniSys) as a database to run on its processors. Does that mean > >they are still running UniSys machines. If so they have problems over > >and above COBOL "not being taught". It sounds like a typical government > >non-upgrade environment. Now they are caught in the dark ages and > >instead of upgrading to modern DB2 and COBOL on proper processors they > >are probably going to "throw out the baby with the bath water" and get > >OMG - WINDOWS. > > > >Tom Kelman > > Tom: > > The report was misleading (confusing) in many ways in that it talked about > all of the government. The specific department involved here regarding > DMSII > (Human Resources Development Canada, HRDC) is running an older UNISYS > environment. > > Much of the Canadian Government IT environment is on very current > technology > (and yes that includes lots of IBM System z). > > However, the canard about COBOL is one that always bothers me. A year or > two > ago the Toronto Star had an article about COBOL being a "deal language". > COBOL could paraphrase Mark Twain, "The reports of my death have been > greatly exaggerated.". IMHO, there is probably more business server > application code written in COBOL than any other language still, and I see > no reason for that to change. > > Jim > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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 ***************************************************************************** If you wish to communicate securely with Commerce Bank and its affiliates, you must log into your account under Online Services at http://www.commercebank.com or use the Commerce Bank Secure Email Message Center at https://securemail.commercebank.com NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any attached files are confidential. The information is exclusively for the use of the individual or entity intended as the recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, copying, printing, reviewing, retention, disclosure, distribution or forwarding of the message or any attached file is not authorized and is strictly prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please advise the sender by reply electronic mail immediately and permanently delete the original transmission, any attachments and any copies of this message from your computer system. ***************************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
