wissel.net :: Progress in data structures
by Volker Weber
Four decades ago COBOL ruled business IT. Its DATA DIVISION. contained all the data structures we ever would need. COBOL had clever constructs like REDEFINES and (in the procedure division) MOVE CORRESPONDING. Of course during the last fourty years we made progress. COBOL data was un-throned by XML (OK I skipped some steps in between) which is getting un-throned by JSON. Comparing the formats you clearly can see the progress made:
Ah, the memories. :-)
Comments
You wouldn't believe how big Cobol still is in the swiss banking it!! :-)
Cyril Gabathuler, 2010-10-17
Or so to say, in any banking it.
Michael Adams, 2010-10-18
just try to write this as clear in [insert-other-language-of-your-choice]:
PERFORM make_money UNTIL rich.
Stephan H. Wissel, 2010-10-18
while (!rich) make_money();
Jan-Piet Mens, 2010-10-18
@ Jan-Piet:
Read out loud:
while round-bracket-open exclamation mark rich round-bracket-close make underscore money round-bracket-open round-bracket-close semicolon.
Stephan H. Wissel, 2010-10-19
Yes, Stefan, but just think of all you had to type in IDENTIFICATION DIVISION, ENVIRONMENT DIVISION, and DATA DIVISION before you got to your PROCEDURE DIVISION. ;-) [By jove, I still know 'em :-]
Jan-Piet Mens, 2010-10-19
