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COBOL IDE, Compiler for Linux

Posted by michael on from the new-tricks-for-old-dogs dept.

Grizzly writes "Okay, go ahead and laugh. But there's a lot of COBOL out there, and that has kept a lot of businesses, especially outside the United States, from even looking at Linux. Linux and Main has a story on KOBOL and how it might make bringing those COBOL apps over to Linux possible."

2 of 26 comments (clear)

  1. Don't disrespect COBOL too much by PD · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Or at least don't disrespect the programmers. Someday when we're all creaky it'll be hard to find a job doing C++ or Java or Perl or C#. Sure, we know those are fine languages for many things, and we've got 40 years of experience using them. Sure we are still sharp and can code rings around almost anybody. We even probably still feel young inside and if we're lucky only need the regular strength viagra. (EXTRA strength viagra is for OLD people).

    But there it is on the resume - you did C++ programming 25 years ago, and in the eyes of the young'ins, that makes you unemployable. I've worked with enough people with many decades of experience to know that these people can be the sharpest ones in an organization, even if their experience includes COBOL.

    I know this is offtopic, but I can predict what some of the comments are going to say.

    --
    If tits were wings it'd be flying around.
  2. What these compilers miss by MrBoring · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Unfortunately a COBOL compiler isn't enough. Other applications which are specific to mainframes would also need to be implemented. Here's two examples:

    * VSAM -- IBM's keyed file format. It's simplistic in concept, but manages keyed files very well. A relational DB might be better, but you'd still have to convert the code.

    * IMS -- IBM's hierarchical database. The syntax isn't declarative like SQL, but much more intent on moving a pointer throughout the database.

    * Other OS calls.