Sometimes, when I go through tough times at work and feel downhearted, I start to consider the option of becoming a COBOL programmer 🤔. In those moments, the idea of specializing in this old but still crucial programming language seems like an appealing alternative and offers me a kind of solace 😌.
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Top comments (16)
Learning a new programming language can be exciting and interesting.
I was a COBOL programmer once upon a time. Between years 1989 and 1999 I had worked on a few projects using COBOL. I have used it to access databases, forms (GUI), reporting, etc. The projects also had elements of maintenance, enhancements, development, software re-engineering, design and migration. These were on various platforms (operating systems) including MS DOS / Novell LAN, Primos, DG AOS/VS and DG SQL, IBM Mainframe, VAX/VMS and UNIX systems.
I am currently not following COBOL, but am sure there are interesting aspects to it and perhaps enhancements to the present day tech. I am sure there are few systems still running COBOL applications.
Hope you have an interesting time with COBOL in the coming new year. Cheers!
Oh wow, that's quite a story! What are you working on now?
Not much really, just trying to improve my database programming skills. Also, Revisiting Photography after a long (, long...) time.
Good luck, and I'll be following 😜
Nice, you worked with cobol where I was only 2-3 years old.
Yes, I actually learned COBOL (along with BASIC on a computer running CP/M). That was before you were born (I guess)! I learnt those at a computer training institute (I was a Mechanical engineer and trying to figure life). Then, I knew I was good with programming (I was one of the better students in the class). That training taught me a lot about programming and also using flowcharts and developing logic. It was valuable. I also studied programming books on my own, and one of the first books I liked was "Computers Today" by Donald H. Sanders. I learnt concepts like GIGO, input-process-output, programming is mostly + (*), - (/) and decision, from the book.
After that I was given a chance to work as an apprentice at a large computer company doing some reporting, spreadsheets, etc., in their marketing group. Following that, that went on to work as sales person selling PC computers and software (word processor, spreadsheet, accounting, etc.). The computers (PCs) were mostly of Intel 8088 and 80286 processors (I recollect the 8088 processor PCs had a HDD of 20 MB).
Real COBOL projects came later.
Wow thank you for that insight! Really love that.
Reminds me a bit of my dad who had a similar vita and brought me to computers. And years later I’m a senior dev with 16 years experience.
I really love those stories where dedication and love came along and open great opportunities.
Keep up that great work man!
It's interesting how folks think about going back in time and coding in their favorite programming language when the time has come to and end of the custom programming for humans ;) Welcome to the AI era, where things have significantly changed for humans. Now there's a war going on with the AI vs Human.
For me, it wouldn't be a "going back in time" - I don't know COBOL, and I guess it's cool that it seems so distant to me :p
I am curious how often anyone learns COBOL and becomes employed as a COBOL programmer these days. To be honest I'd be a bit suspicious of a 19 year old COBOL programmer!
haha me too
Ha ha, LOL, if you want to start with COBOL. I've written something here:
[Alien Hunter Series Pt. 1] Mastering the COBOL Programming Language
Saurabh Rai for Gitroom ・ Nov 6 '23
haha thanks, added to my bucket list B)
I started my technical career with COBOL in the eighties but moved on to other programming languages, and left mainframes in the early nineties. I never thought I would look at COBOL again but my most recent project has brought it back. We are working on a modernization project to replace a very large government system from mainframe to cloud. Some of my younger colleagues, who have never worked in a mainframe environment, are picking up COBOL to help them in their project work.
I think having an understanding of mainframes, and COBOL, will give you an edge in the coming years as there are many systems that will need to be modernized. At the very least some of these large mainframe systems may need to expose their data through modern APIs.
Nice, learning new things is always an exciting journey
I'm interested to learn COBOL language , but what is future of that programming, if we search in google it shows cobol is dead, where i can really learn cobol from basics, it is useful in future.