March 26, 2001, 5:27 PM —
Let me tell you about a hot Web scripting language. It's been ported to almost every computer architecture ever made; its speed and readability are legendary. It's known to be good with databases. Some people swear by it, some people swear at it, but it's a force to be reckoned with, and it's coming to your desktop. It's COBOL.
I must admit that when this email crossed my desk, I was inclined to think it was a joke. After checking the calendar (no, it wasn't April Fools' Day) and the company's Web site, I was convinced it was real, and I became intrigued with Deskware's CobolScript.
For while the elders of the hacking world have nothing but scorn for COBOL, I'm one of those who grew up reading the Jargon File rather than living it. I must confess now to a secret desire to know what COBOL is like ... to program in APL ... to learn Ada! My Y2K experience has slaked my thirst for this knowledge in small part, but it has (un)fortunately been limited to DEC FORTRAN with light PDP/11 macro assembler. I've had no experience with COBOL.
