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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

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