An Introduction To COBOL

I have been a COBOL programmer for over 13 years and can say that there is still a need for it especially in any application that processes huge volumes of data. In my case I work on a billing application that processes millions of customers with hundreds of millions of charges per month. There is simply no other programming language that can support that volume. There as an effort some time ago to rewrite some of the applications in the billing stream in C++. The COBOL jobs finished in about 3 hours the C++ version was still running two days later. Although there is less need to support mainframe applications there are still us dinosaur programmers out there loving what they do. I am actually doing some work with stored procedures and JAVA now which I am enjoying.

Regarding Mircofocus: Microfocus is similar to MVS COBOL except that it does not run on an MVS Platform. It ties more into PC computing. If you search the web I believe there is a Microfocus demo, at least there was when I was going to school. My understanding is that there is a pretty big difference between MF Cobol and MVS Cobol probably similiar to that between IBMs an MACs.

 

 

 

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An Introduction To COBOL

Replying to vicky99

Do you have a knowledge of similarities and differences between cobol and first generation languages.

-reply by Matt

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Comments on COBOL
An Introduction To COBOL

There seems to be a little confusion out there about COBOL. First, COBOL is far from a "dead" language. Were it so, you probably COULD find a free compiler, but most compilers are quite expensive, and only Fujitsu Cobol has a free compiler with all the bugs removed. Unfortunately, it is based on an old standard, and contains little of the modern capabilities (screen handling, class and property, etc. Handling). For these capabilities, find a deep pocket.

There are an estimated BILLION lines of cobol being used every day. Thousands of front and back ends written in basic, C, C++ provide interactive capabilities to these old work horses, and there has yet to be a better business language developed. When you talk of handling, as an example, a quarter of million transactions a week, as many COBOL systems do, no other language can provide the speed and sheer processing power of COBOL.

There are a number of sites out there that are COBOL cognizant. Google "COBOL FAQ" and watch.

The compilers and the language have evolved with the times. There is very little you cannot do with COBOL, and as for the "translator" type compilers than generate C or C++ code from COBOL code, the exercise defeats the entire purpose of COBOL.

COBOL stands for Common Business Oriented Language.  'Nuff said.

-reply by Dale Hermann

 

 

 

 

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Need COBOL Compiler
An Introduction To COBOL

I am using MS Cobol V2.1 on an XP Machine. During compilation, I am getting an error like Null Pointer Assignment or Memory Overlay error. Compiler doesnt go beyond scanning ENVT DIV. Can you throw some light on the errors and tell me how to proceed. Thanks in advance. -question by Kavitha

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