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.
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.