Planet Mainframe on LinkedIn
Planet Mainframe on LinkedIn
Planet Mainframe
Db2 Workload Performance on Fire

TRIVIA – COBOL in Enterprise IT

Sep 29, 2025

COBOL, Trivia

COBOL in Enterprise IT

Sonja Soderlund

Sonja Soderlund is an Oregon-based B2B freelance writer. Whether writing about mainframe computers, educational technology, or sustainable retail, she strives to bring clarity to complex issues. Connect with her or LinkedIn.

In September, Planet Mainframe pays tribute to the programming language that has formed the backbone of many mission-critical workloads — COBOL. Considered by some to be a relic of early computing, COBOL continues to play a vital (if often overlooked) role in the digital infrastructure we rely on. (Did you catch the article on COBOL origins before Grace Hopper?)

From its Cold War origins to its presence in cloud modernization efforts, COBOL has defied repeated predictions of its demise. Why has this language endured for over six decades? What makes it so indispensable to mainframe environments and the industries that depend on them?

This quiz invites you to explore the legacy, significance, and ongoing evolution of COBOL in enterprise IT. You might be surprised.

1. What was the original purpose of COBOL when it was first developed in 1959?

 
 
 
 

2. Which U.S. government organization played a key role in COBOL’s early development?

 
 
 
 

3. Who is often credited as the “mother of COBOL” due to her pioneering work on its development?

 
 
 
 

4. COBOL programs are primarily known for their:

 
 
 
 

5. COBOL has been especially dominant in which industries?

 
 
 
 

6. One reason COBOL remains widely used today is:

 
 
 
 

7. What percentage of global financial transactions are still estimated to run on COBOL systems?

 
 
 
 

8. COBOL modernization strategies often include:

 
 
 
 

9. What is one emerging approach to sustain COBOL workloads on modern infrastructure?

 
 
 
 

10. Which IBM initiative supports running COBOL applications in a cloud-native way?

 
 
 
 

1 Comment

  1. Miichael Lowe
    Miichael Lowe on Oct 4, 2025 at 2:19 pm

    I wrote my first COBOL in 1984 and still play around with it today in my role as freelance Db2 Instructor, to demonstrate the Db2 COBOL program preparation and execution process.

    I am not up to date with all the latest features but like its readability and simple procedural approach.

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign up to receive the latest mainframe information

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recently Published

Read More

❓ Workforce and Training Trivia

❓ Workforce and Training Trivia

by

Happy 2026—and welcome to a whole new year of Planet Mainframe Trivia! As our January theme focuses on Workforce and Training, this quiz looks at mainframe pioneers and the early decisions that shaped how mainframe skills are learned and passed on. Mainframe expertise...

What 2025 Taught Us About Mainframes: A Trivia Quiz

What 2025 Taught Us About Mainframes: A Trivia Quiz

by

As the year closes, and the year-end reflections roll in, we’re taking a closer look at key findings from the latest BMC, Kyndryl, and Planet Mainframe Arcati surveys. The results point to a platform that is evolving in response to cost pressures, skills gaps,...

Mainframe Miscellaneous Trivia!

Mainframe Miscellaneous Trivia!

by

As the year draws to a close (whether your days are growing shorter and darker or longer and brighter), December tends to invite a little reflection. Over the past year, Planet Mainframe Trivia has dished out a veritable smorgasbord of topics, from the early days of...