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It is not just COBOL
You can write cr*p code in any language - PERL is laughingly referred to as a "write once" language since once you've written you can't maintain it! If anything COBOL is very easy to read.

The secret is good design - always has been and always will be.

As to your other point about malicious software, corporations should know better. They stop their employees from loading untrusted software for exactly the same reasons. The one advantage of opensource is that it is hard to bury "bombs" in it as they tend to get spotted.
Posted by: bportlock   Posted on: 05/21/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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It is not just COBOL  bportlock | 05/21/07
COBOL is easy to read  jorwell | 05/21/07
a million snowflakes  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 05/21/07
My case rests  jorwell | 05/21/07
sorting the snowflakes  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 05/21/07
but hashing them does!  Erik Engbrecht | 05/21/07
Subroutines?  slopoke | 05/21/07
COBOL subroutines  jorwell | 05/21/07
The other point is  jorwell | 05/22/07
If I wanted to do something incomprehensible and dangerous  jorwell | 05/21/07
The trick...  bportlock | 05/21/07
Agreed - but they did - and are still using it  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 05/21/07
Remember it?  Anton Philidor | 05/21/07
Not much point then ...  bportlock | 05/21/07
I find the pipeline story difficult to believe  jorwell | 05/21/07
I can't find any history relating to it, but ....  bportlock | 05/21/07
Maybe those  Roger Ramjet | 05/21/07
Try the link provided  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 05/21/07
Interesting reading.... (NT)  bportlock | 05/21/07
Controversial topics per line  Erik Engbrecht | 05/21/07
Recycling programmers.  p_msac@... | 05/21/07
OMG - We DID nuke Russia  Roger Ramjet | 05/21/07
and irradiated half of Europe  jorwell | 05/21/07
What if  Roger Ramjet | 05/21/07
Totally Incompatible?  slopoke | 05/21/07
Chernobyl was all about human stupidity  bportlock | 05/21/07
According to Wikipedia  Roger Ramjet | 05/21/07
Amateurs should not mess...  bportlock | 05/21/07
When the whole system is shaky  Roger Ramjet | 05/21/07
The evidence is against you  bportlock | 05/21/07
If this was programmed to fail  Roger Ramjet | 05/21/07
Wikipedia - LCD for information  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 05/21/07
Depends...  Erik Engbrecht | 05/21/07
Some subjects ....  p_msac@... | 05/21/07
Not likely  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 05/21/07
Fingure out the single point of failure  Roger Ramjet | 05/21/07
I thought the CANDU was considered a better design...  bportlock | 05/21/07
Only by those selling it  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 05/21/07
Want the best ...  p_msac@... | 05/21/07
More russki stuff..  bportlock | 05/21/07
Huuummm ....  p_msac@... | 05/22/07
Re: p_masc  bportlock | 05/22/07
Any opening is good enough...  Anton Philidor | 05/21/07
All cats look grey at midnight  bportlock | 05/21/07
Only does the job required.  Anton Philidor | 05/21/07
COBOL not boring !huh?  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 05/21/07
OK lets try a different language then  bportlock | 05/21/07
Harsh.  Anton Philidor | 05/21/07
That'll teach him...  bportlock | 05/21/07
I'm not sure  jorwell | 05/21/07
Information content is the same, density is not  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 05/22/07
Re murph - information content / density  bportlock | 05/22/07
I don't buy it either  jorwell | 05/22/07
Or maybe ...  p_msac@... | 05/22/07
+1 - good old IBM practices  Erik Engbrecht | 05/22/07
Not a baseball fan, either, I take it.  Anton Philidor | 05/21/07
OK, Now we know Murph's COBOL skills.  slopoke | 05/21/07
(OT) Other worthwhile quotes from chess.  Anton Philidor | 05/21/07
O/T What would someone with a handle like "Philidor"....  bportlock | 05/21/07
1. ... P-Q3  Anton Philidor | 05/21/07
Are you really claiming F A Philidor as an ancestor?  bportlock | 05/21/07
Ah, you know the Hanham, then.  Anton Philidor | 05/21/07
Hmmmm....  bportlock | 05/21/07
I can tell you're tired.  Anton Philidor | 05/21/07
Oh-errr! Too late at night...  bportlock | 05/22/07
Can't stop laughing  TonyMcS | 05/21/07
Still can't stop  TonyMcS | 05/21/07

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