“Programming language isn’t a fashion statementâ€
On a recent webinar, Professor Tak Auyeung, introduced COBOL and said, “Programming language isn’t a fashion statement,†it is used for a specific purpose. He proceeded to explain why COBOL is pervasive in highly regulated industries with high volume transactions and introduced the nuance of languages.
COBOL has been a hot topic recently and has turned the spotlight on a known need in the industry for some time – the need for skills in Enterprise Computing from application developers to system administrators to security specialists and more. As Michelle Rafter mentions in her article, interest in enterprise computing languages was on the rise even before the COVID-19 crisis.
All applications, no matter the language they are written in, need to be maintained and modernized to take advantage of the latest tech innovations to drive competitive advantage and efficiencies. Today’s COBOL and mainframe systems aren’t like where they started 60 years ago. Bill Hinshaw was quoted saying, "I tell people, it's like if you're riding a bicycle, you hop off of it, and you jump on a Harley Davidson…That's the type of change you will see from the COBOL mainframes 60 years ago to what it is today. It's not even comparable.†COBOL integrates with modern languages and technologies while still being a workhorse. Therefore, someone with skills that combine traditional and modern languages, modern application development practices, and current tech are in high demand.
Based on the recent public request for COBOL programmers, a forum was set up to answer the call. Esther Shein highlighted the great response to that forum.
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/ibm-linux-foundation-see-great-response-from-cobol-programmers/
While many articles have claimed that all COBOL programmers are retired, it was interesting to see the reality in the diverse response to the call for help.
https://community.openmainframeproject.org/c/calling-all-cobol-programmers/15
With over 1500 responses, there is a mix of experience from beginner to expert, a mix of tenure from students to new professionals to mid-career to seasoned veterans, and they are responding from all over the world. But one thing seems to be a common thread, their enthusiasm and willingness to help. So, if you are an employer who needs COBOL skills – here is a great pool of talent.
Klint Finley also published an article in Wired that digs a bit more under the covers of the challenges being faced by some government sites recently stating "experts say that Cobol probably isn't to blame for the problems." He talks about what the underlying issues may be as well as how and why businesses run COBOL programs. "Cobol isn't cool, but businesses don't care about what's cool. They care about what works," said Thomas Klinect, a Gartner Analyst, and the COBOL applications are fast, reliable, and secure. The article also underscores there continues to be a demand for talent to add new features or write software linking back-office COBOL systems to the web.
https://www.wired.com/story/cant-file-unemployment-dont-blame-cobol/
If you are someone whose interest has been piqued and want to learn more about COBOL, there are plenty of resources to get started. Including a replay of Professor Auyeung’s webinar!
Solution Architect Associate Director as Accenture
4 å¹´I like the analogy of a bicycle to a Harley. You can think of COBOL as the tires. If you try to put bicycle tires on a Harley you will crash. Kinda like some of the stressed unemployment systems. Upgrade your tires, too!
Ex-AWS, Ex-IBM, Ex-mainframe sysprog. Now recovering from 40 years in the workplace.
4 å¹´Key point: "All applications, no matter the language they are written in, need to be maintained and modernized to take advantage of the latest tech innovations to drive competitive advantage and efficiencies." Hear, hear!
General Manager, IBM Z & LinuxONE | Marist Alumni, Parent & Trustee | Family, Motorsports, Music, Education & the Arts
4 å¹´Bravo Meredith ????
President and CEO at Exabeam
4 å¹´English is a storied, proven, and relevant language. French is a storied, proven, and relevant language. Which is better? Neither one is always better. It depends. And, what it depends on is critically important.