[Shacs] COBOL on a reputable, "modern" journal

[bronius motekaitis]

Quote from the article:
Dijkstra famously said, "the use of cobol cripples the mind; its teaching should, therefore, be regarded as a criminal offense."

-----Original Message-----
From: Bronius Motekaitis <bronius.motekaitis at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 8:29 PM
To: Sean Duckett <sduckett at shsu.edu>
Cc: Burris, David <CSC_DSB at shsu.edu>; SHACS <shacs at shsu.edu>
Subject: Re: [Shacs] COBOL on a reputable, "modern" journal

Haw!
Pulling the analogy back to CS.. If one were ever stranded on an island with a puny PC, he'll be up and running faster with a USB-contained environment than the mammoths that COBOL once required.  .. that is, if the ancient PC on-hand has USB support.

hmm.. by "usb" I mean "usb pen drive" of course.  Funny how the interface has become the medium.. 


On Tue, Sep 16, 2008 at 7:53 PM, Sean Duckett <sduckett at shsu.edu> wrote:
For Homo sapiens, it's been hard for neolithic toolsmiths.
 Flintknapping has slipped from 83% of all tools crafted worldwide to a
 miniscule 0.04%, with the tradition maintained by eye surgeons (obsidian
 blades damage the retina far less than the finest steel),
 anthropologists, and the keepers of tribal history.  I have yet to
 require flintknapping, though should I ever be stranded for more than a
 week in a remote, flintknapping would definately be on my to-do list.

 --smd.


 * Burris, David <CSC_DSB at shsu.edu> [2008-09-16 18:47:53 -0500]:

 > The last few years have been hard for COBOL.  It has slipped from 78% of all program written world wide in all languages to a paltry 70%.  Bronis has not yet required COBOL so you may not need it either.  On campus, student programming jobs generally require COBOL or that you be on drugs (PHP).
 >
 > Dr. B
 >
 > From: shacs-bounces at shsu.edu [mailto:shacs-bounces at shsu.edu] On Behalf Of Bronius Motekaitis
 > Sent: Monday, September 15, 2008 10:52 PM
 > To: SHACS
 > Subject: [Shacs] COBOL on a reputable, modern journal
 >
 > Dr Burris-
 >
 > [cid:image001.jpg at 01C9182C.B6D9E250]<http://www.flickr.com/photos/foryou/2861741130/>
 >
 > Did you sneak into the press room for a little prank here?
 >
 > (I haven't yet read the article, but thought you'd appreciate the cover caption: "Is your next language COBOL?")
 >
 > -bronius
 >



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 > http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/shacs


 --smd.

 "It is by the fortune of God that, in this country, we have three
  benefits: freedom of speech, freedom of thought, and the wisdom never
  to use either."
                 -- Mark Twain


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