COBOL (What?) Computer Programming

Are you old? Okay, got your attention. I admit to being pretty old. I won't tell you my age, but I was born in 1941. It turns out that maybe some of us old guys can find some meaningful work after all.

I happen to know a computer programming language known as COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language). In the late 60s and early 70s, my early years with IBM, I was contracted out to several IBM customers to write some COBOL programs. COBOL was to most computer shops exactly what its name implies. It was the most common business programming language used in "mainframe" data processing installations. Back then a "mainframe" usually meant an IBM System 360. The 360 was a line of processors that came with lots of flavors, bells and whistles, and assorted miscellaneous features. These were large systems, most of which would fill up a small bedroom, but that would not include the disk drives, tape drives, and printers, so most "DP" installations were huge rooms with raised flooring and A/C.

It turns out today's programmers are not learning COBOL. Why should they bother? It is not used for developing new systems any more. The opportunity for us old guys comes because many COBOL progams have not yet been replaced and do in fact need maintenance from time to time. And guess what? The folks who know COBOL are all of retirement age and are leaving their companies for greener pastures. They no longer have any interest in maintaining COBOL programs. This is where I, and maybe you, come in.

It also turns out that I got pretty good at COBOL programming and even taught the language at Rutgers University in the evenings. So let the world know that, although I am a bit rusty, I could be quickly up to speed and maintaining COBOL code for the next several years (God willing) while the programs get replaced! How about you?