<rant> They use COBOL because the old timer that still work there still use it and there is already a lot of code that still works written in COBOL.
This is not because COBOL is the "best" language for the job but because that's what they've always used. There are heaps of "better" languages. Sorry I had to say that as it is an issue here where I work. I had to learn COBOL and it is *not* "easy, quick and reliable",... it's crap compared to a modern language. I've heard that it was the 2nd or 3rd *ever* programming language and it shows. </rant> (I feel better now :-) ) On Fri, 2002-09-20 at 12:01, stringer wrote: > > <FLAME SUIT> > > And CoBOL is best for business data processing > > Something like 80% of the US Fortune 500 companies still use it for their > back end processing, perhaps with a C++ or Java front end for an interface > to the terminal/web. They use it for a reason - because its easy, quick and > reliable, and is aimed at handling large amounts of data (ie millions of > transaction per day eg American Express) > > My point is that I agree with whoever said that it is the problem you are > trying to solve which will determine the tool you use. > > </FLAME SUIT> > -- Zane Gilmore, Analyst / Programmer Information Services Section, Information Technology Dept, University of Canterbury Private Bag 4800 Christchurch New Zealand phone +64-3-364 2987 extn 7895 Fax 3642222
