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From: Pete Dashwood on 2 Jan 2010 16:26
Alistair wrote:
> On Jan 1, 2:16 am, "Pete Dashwood"
> <dashw...(a)removethis.enternet.co.nz> wrote:
>> Alistair wrote:
>>
>>> If you really want a challenge [ ;-P ], try convincing Pete
>>> Dashwood that Cobol is not dead and that both India and China are
>>> training university graduates to code in Cobol.
>>
>> It was I who pointed that out some time back, Alistair. Do try and
>> keep up. You should also note that they are learning COBOL as part
>> of the "History of Computing", and not with the idea of making a
>> living from it.
>>
>>
>> And I never said "COBOL is dead". I said it will be by 2015 as a
>> development language of choice. (That is pretty much already true...
>> so I see no reason to modify or withdraw that statement). The
>> procedural paradigm is definitely dead as a model for future
>> development, and standard COBOL implements that.paradigm. (OO COBOL
>> has a longer life expectancy as a useful tool for migration of
>> legacy, but few people will continue development in COBOL (even OO
>> COBOL) once they have migrated to more modern platforms.)
>>
>
> I could have sworn that you were announcing the death of Cobol (as per
> the announcement that the Nazi party was dead) but, using DD's new-
> fangled 'net, the best I can find is that you have consistently stated
> 2015 as the move-on-by-date and have only heralded the imminent death
> of the language. I was wrong. Sorry (for causing you offense).

I accept your gracious and fair apology. (They are so rare in this forum
that they must be treasured.) :-)

I wasn't offended, but I was a bit stung. It made me think that there should
be a definitive statement of what I DO actually think about COBOL and I
realised that I made such a statement here some time ago. However, I should
nail my colours to the mast and put them where they can be easily found and
argued with.

As I have been promising myself to put up a PRIMA Web Site and use it to
intensify the marketing efforts for PRIMA in 2010, it all seemed to come
together well.

I am about to start a new project for a client but I could probably take a
couple of days before I do, and get the Web site done.

At least, that was what I thought... :-)

(That was 2 days ago and I still can't publish it... I don't think anyone
who hasn't done it realises the HUGE amount of effort that is required to
have any kind of Web presence other than a simple template. Even with the
maximum reuse of components and existing formats the new content has to be
fitted into the old so that the overall look and feel is a smooth
transition.

As soon as you add a database or any kind of code-behind processing (even
with the very good tools that are now available), it is a lot of work. Links
have to be checked, content has to be reviewed and polished, CSS has to be
amended or extended, there are dozens of little things, like simple line
breaks in text, use of colour, getting images in the right place at the
right time, implementing even minimal security ... it all adds up to effort
and time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. There is a lot of satisfaction in
getting it done and watching the visit count click over as people find the
site, but it is still taking longer than I wanted it to :-)

Anyway, I am expecting to have something published within the next couple of
days and this will clarify my position (and PRIMA's...) with regard to COBOL
in the 21st century. The COBOL21 site has a great deal of detail and
information (http://primacomputing.co.nz/cobol21/ ) and the counts show that
people are looking at it and even downloading from it, but it doesn't give a
definitive statement that you can put your finger on and either take issue
with or agree with.

COBOL21 is for tech people, primarily COBOL programmers, who are interested
in extending their use of COBOL beyond procedural processing; the new PRIMA
site has to spotlight the company and our other products, as well as our
involvement with COBOL.

I'll let you know when I have something :-)

Pete.
--
"I used to write COBOL...now I can do anything."


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