Introduction

This document provided by the Linux Foundation Open Mainframe Project COBOL Task Group lists a variety of recently published articles and blogs about the COBOL language. It aims to provide a body of evidence that supports a positive view of the COBOL language. It is therefore somewhat selective in what has been included and in which section it resides.

General Positive and Vendor Neutral Articles/Publications

This section aims to include general, vendor-neutral (non-proprietary) and positive views on COBOL. It is a mixture of IT press, industry body or vendor-supported publications. For this list, we have included articles that are overtly mainframe-centric as well as those less platform-specific in nature. While COBOL is, by-design, portable and platform agnostic, its relationship with the mainframe should also be accepted and noted, so both types of coverage are included.

2020

• The Finanser: What’s the problem with COBOL? https://thefinanser.com/2020/08/whats-the-problem-with-cobol.html/
• Tech Republic: Top programming languages: Python reigns supreme and COBOL sees a pandemic boost https://www.techrepublic.com/article/top-programming-languages-python-reigns-supreme-and-cobol-sees-a-pandemic-boost/
• IDG Connect: The persistence of COBOL: why a 60-year old language is still in demand https://www.idgconnect.com/analysis-review/1505690/persistence-cobol-language-demand
• SHARE: COBOL, a cornerstone of the mainframe https://www.share.org/blog/cobol-a-cornerstone-language-of-the-mainframe
• PlanetMainframe: Still COBOL after all these years. https://www.planetmainframe.com/2020/07/still-cobol-after-all-these-years/
• MainframeDebate.com: Have you fixed your view? https://mainframedebate.com/2020/07/08/have-you-fixed-your-view/
• MainframeDebate.com: COBOL, Mainframe and Cloud – Connecting not Colliding https://mainframedebate.com/2020/04/06/connecting-not-colliding-cobol/
• Tech Radar: The programming language that doesn’t want to die https://www.techradar.com/news/the-programming-language-that-doesnt-want-to-die
• Tech Beacon: Why enterprises are adapting not ditching https://techbeacon.com/app-dev-testing/why-enterprises-are-adapting-their-cobol-apps-vs-ditching-them
• Computing: So, should I learn COBOL? https://www.computing.co.uk/analysis/4015361/should-learn-cobol
• Forbes: COBOL language: call it a comeback?  https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomtaulli/2020/07/13/cobol-language-call-it-a-comeback/
• CACM: COBOL programmers are back in demand. Seriously. https://cacm.acm.org/news/244370-cobol-programmers-are-back-in-demand-seriously/fulltext
• ZDNET: Where’s my check? https://www.zdnet.com/article/wheres-my-check-cobol-unemployment-and-taxes/
• WIRED: Can’t File for Unemployment? Don’t Blame Cobol https://www.wired.com/story/cant-file-unemployment-dont-blame-cobol/
• SlideShare: Quietly Confident, Enduringly Competent – https://www.slideshare.net/Micro-Focus/quietly-confident-enduringly-competent-cobol-232308534 (final slide is vendor specific)
• SHARE.org: A full-throated defence of COBOL https://www.share.org/blog/message-from-share-a-full-throated-defense-of-cobol
• ZDNET: Top Programming Languages… COBOL gets a pandemic bump https://www.zdnet.com/article/top-programming-languages-python-rules-still-but-old-cobol-gets-a-pandemic-bump/
• Enterprise Tech Journal: COBOL Reigns Supreme https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=23234&i=667477&p=24
• Enterprise Systems Media: Still COBOL after all these years https://www.enterprisesystemsmedia.com/post/still-cobol-after-all-these-years
• ASG Blog: The case for COBOL and the mainframe https://www.asg.com/en/Resources/Blog/July2020/The-Case-for-COBOL-in-the-Mainframe.aspx
• BMC Blog: COBOL Trends in 2020 https://www.bmc.com/blogs/cobol-trends/

2019 and earlier

• DevOps.com: The Bedrock of Digital Transformation https://devops.com/the-bedrock-of-digital-transformation/
• ZDNet: COBOL turns 60 – why it will outlive us all https://www.zdnet.com/article/cobol-turns-60-why-it-will-outlive-us-all/
• MainframeDebate: Smart Innovation Evolves. Happy 60th Birthday COBOL https://mainframedebate.com/2019/09/10/smart-innovation-evolves-happy-60th-birthday-cobol/
• IBM Systems Magazine: COBOL Turns 60 https://ibmsystemsmag.com/IBM-Z/05/2019/cobol-turns-60
• The Register: COBOL: 5 little letters https://www.theregister.com/2019/09/16/cobol_at_60/
• eWeek DataPoints: Six reasons COBOL has survived past 60
• IBM Systems Magazine RelevantZ: COBOL at 60 – the Legend Continues http://www.pages02.net/ibm/IBMSystemsMag/MicroFocus-eBook2-RelevantZ
• PlanetMainframe: https://www.planetmainframe.com/2019/08/cobol-still-the-best-for-new-high-volume-applications-after-all-these-years/
• DevOps.com: The Beauty of COBOL – Best of 2018: The Beauty of the COBOL Programming Language – DevOps.com
• Exactly what is COBOL and why is it so widely used https://freedomafterthesharks.com/2016/06/27/exactly-what-is-cobol-and-why-is-cobol-still-a-widely-used-language-in-it/
• Increment: COBOL all the way down https://increment.com/programming-languages/cobol-all-the-way-down/
• Tech Republic: COBOL Programmers know old !=bad https://www.techrepublic.com/article/cobol-programmers-know-old-is-not-bad/
• Cote: Making Mainframe Apps more agile https://cote.io/2017/03/03/making-mainframe-applications-more-agile-gartner-highlights/
• DZONE: Why COBOL persists https://dzone.com/articles/how-cobol-persists-people-process-and-technology

COBOL and the Skills Question

Articles or blogs that specifically discuss the “skills issue” as it relates to COBOL (all material included)

• COBOL is everywhere, who will maintain it? https://thenewstack.io/cobol-everywhere-will-maintain/
• Millenials can thrive adding mainframe skills https://www.cio.com/article/3166573/millennials-can-thrive-by-adding-mainframe-skills.html
• College level COBOL classes are scarce College-Level Cobol Classes are Scarce | CIO
• COBOL Interview https://ibmsystemsmag.com/Trends/11/2019/michelle-yeager-hayley-owens-cobol
• COBOL Interview https://blog.microfocus.com/womeninstem-modern-cobol/
• SHARE article: https://www.share.org/blog/still-cobol-after-all-these-years-858
• Micro Focus COBOL Skills Blog: https://blog.microfocus.com/womeninstem-modern-cobol/
• A solution to the skills issue https://blog.microfocus.com/solution-cobol-skills-issue-micro-focus/
• Introducing Students to the Mainframe Introducing Students to the Mainframe – Compuware
• The Importance of Legacy in Colleges The Importance of “Legacy” in Colleges and Universities | The Rocket Software Blog

COBOL versus ripping and replacing

Articles or blogs that discuss the merits of alternative approaches to sticking with COBOL

• Start Over, or with what you know? https://blog.microfocus.com/potential-cost-of-core-syetem-modernization-failure/
• Packaged Applications – flying off the shelf? https://blog.microfocus.com/erp-package-or-cobol-modernization/

Vendor-Specific, Positive Commentary about COBOL

This section contains commentary that is positive in nature but is clearly vendor-centric or vendor-written and therefore too proprietary for direct use by this group. The information nonetheless provides a positive commentary about COBOL and is included for completeness.

• COBOL at 60 – a Living Legend, White Paper: https://www.microfocus.com/en-us/assets/application-modernization-and-connectivity/cobol-at-60-a-living-legend
• Micro Focus COBOL Anniversary Microsite: https://www.microfocus.com/cobol60
• IBM Systems Media: https://ibmsystemsmag.com/Trends/09/2019/captain-cobol-tom-ross
• COBOL – the basis for DX https://www.cio.com/article/3561766/cobol-forms-the-basis-for-digital-transformation.html
• IT Web: The Language of DX The language of digital transformation
• Computing: COBOL at 60: the past, present and future COBOL at 60: the past, present, and future of the enduring and evolving programming language
• TechBeacon: COBOL at 60: The legacy and future of the original business language
• Veryant: https://www.veryant.com/cobol-60.html
• https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/technology/dear-cobol-happy-birthday-you-are-immortal/1708703/
• https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/cobol-remains-an-important-programming-priority
• Mainframe DevOps https://www.compuware.com/lifecycle-overview/

Less Than Positive Commentary (all types)

Selected illustrations of poorly researched or negatively portrayed comments about the language.

• https://sfmagazine.com/technotes/april-2020-cobol-the-everlasting-software/
• https://slate.com/technology/2020/04/new-jersey-unemployment-cobol-coronavirus.html
• https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/08/business/coronavirus-cobol-programmers-new-jersey-trnd/index.html
• https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2020/05/learning-new-jersey-why-government-organizations-should-cut-ties-cobol/165356/
• https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/14/21219561/coronavirus-pandemic-unemployment-systems-cobol-legacy-software-infrastructure
• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-13/an-ancient-computer-language-is-slowing-america-s-giant-stimulus
• https://enterprisersproject.com/article/2020/6/cobol-application-should-you-modernize
• https://insights.dice.com/2020/07/13/4-programming-languages-that-wont-fade-away-anytime-soon/ (includes a robust defence in the comments section)

Other Related Documentation

Useful documentation that does not fit any category and which does not relate directly to COBOL.

• https://www.share.org/blog/find-defending-the-mainframe-difficult-go-on-the-offensive-instead
• https://www.ibm.com/it-infrastructure/z/education/what-is-a-mainframe
• Planet Mainframe – Premiere Resource for Mainframe Discussion
• Mainframe Facts: 5 Things Everyone Should Know about Mainframes
• Mainframes Are Having a Moment – IEEE Spectrum
• Why The Mainframe Still Matters in 2019 – Syncsort Blog
• Big Iron: IBM Z in the digital age https://www.cio.com/article/3268046/big-iron-how-ibm-z-mainframes-fit-in-the-digital-age.html
• https://betanews.com/2019/10/29/mainframe-skills-loss-risk/
• OMP COBOL Course: https://github.com/openmainframeproject/cobol-programming-course

Other Media Types – Podcasts, Video Content, Live Event Recordings

• Terminal Talk (podcast) – Happy Birthday COBOL http://terminaltalk.net/PodcastGenerator/?name=derek_britton_-_micro_focus_-_happy_birthday_cobol.mp3
• Mar Hicks, Tech Historian (video) – Scapegoating COBOL? https://marhicks.com/videos/cobol.html?es_p=11696870

_._,_._,_

Regards, Len

Leonard J Santalucia

CTO | Business Development Manager | Certified Specialist | IBM Champion

Chair Linux Foundation Open Mainframe Project

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