On 22 Apr 2010 14:59:57 -0700, in bit.listserv.ibm-main you wrote: >________________________________ >From: Ted MacNEIL <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Sent: Thu, April 22, 2010 10:05:02 AM >Subject: Re: COBOL - no longer being taught - is a problem > >>Considering how many different programming languages I've had to deal >with over the course of my career, one of the most useful skills I acquired in >school was the ability to learn new programming languages, >not the ability to program in some specific language. > >I don't disagree with that concept, but in the case of the rookie (or co-op) >programmer, why not teach them COBOL while you're teaching them programming >skills. They have to learn some language, and COBOL is still a major need in >the IT working world. >----------------------------------------------- >Ted: >Interesting issue. I have talked to people who do the hiring of application >types and the consensus that I have heard is that the more languages an >application knows the more likely he/she will be hired. Now I am talking >reasonably current languages, not Fortran RPG etc... COBOL still is a MUST. >Having said that saying you know a language is a far stretch (at times) from >working in it on a day to day basis. > >Some of the comments on here seem to think that things like DYL and EASYTREIVE >RPG, frankly I do not agree they are really languages. I am not trying to put >down the report programs but you must admit they are a little far from a >computer language, NO? In fact I have seen clerks (and I do mean clerks) write >a "program". Now these programs were compiled with assembler H. They were >essentially HUGE Macro's. The easytrieve category is somewhat more programmer >oriented as you had to work with fields in a record. Where the assembler >programs it was all done underneath the covers so the clerks did not have to >worry about record layouts. > >The idea of language is getting a little loose I will grant you but I will >stand on RPG, EASYTREIVE, DYL and others in my opinion are not anything close >to a language.
DYL280 has a VERY strong set of procedural capabilities including bit manipulation, the ability to use COBOL record descriptions, SORT verb, etc. I have used it to reformat SMF 30 records and play with directory blocks. It can be more powerful than COBOL for many things besides report writing. > >I am curious as to what other have to say about what is and what isn't a >language. > >Ed > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
