As much as I like COBOL, learning other languages is essential. Which
ones is not an easy answer. It seems that when a new technology with a
new language comes along we are bombarded with marketing to jump on the
bandwagon.
You need to do research to see what languages are in greater use in the
region of the world where you live. The classifieds are a good resource
for this as are recruiters who specialize in IT placements. You don't
want to invest a lot of time and money retooling yourself only to find
out that you rode the tail end of the wave. Sometimes the big push for
newer technologies is by whoever owns the copyright for the product.
SAP is a good example of a nickel-and-diming you to death product. It's
one of the biggest ERP products, but not the best, they only tell you
they are.
Bottom line is look at languages and technologies that are established
and in wide use, but not too old that they are nearing to the end of
their lifecycle. COBOL and RPG have survived because they are the
oldest and they work. These languages also have evolved over the years
to keep up with newer methods and technologies. During Y2K it was
discovered that almost 70% of the existing code worldwide was written in
COBOL. Companies aren't anxious to throw out what may have taken them
30+ years to develop for a new product that might take them several
years to get back up to the same level of functionality.
You probably have to teach yourself COBOL, there are many new books
still being written, but don't limit yourself to it.
Basil Zangare
P.S. I apologize for the rambling rhetoric...Long live COBOL.
-----Original Message-----
From: cobol400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[
mailto:cobol400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lora
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 7:16 PM
To: 'COBOL Programming on the iSeries/AS400'
Subject: Re: [COBOL400-L] Learning COBOL
Hi,
Actually, we do use all of those things, including CICS for our
mainframe
screens. I think, due to the limited programmer resources we have, I
might
be able to transfer into the department if, and only if, I can get some
solid training.
What other programming languages would you recommend as valuable for the
next decade or three?
-----Original Message-----
From: cobol400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[
mailto:cobol400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of R Bruce Hoffman
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 12:37 PM
To: COBOL Programming on the iSeries/AS400
Subject: Re: [COBOL400-L] Learning COBOL
Well, the lack of responses should tell you something...
Far be it from me to discourage you, but even the Federal Government has
declared all their COBOL systems as "unmaintainable" and have resorted
to
replacing them with off-the-shelf software. For example, SAMMS (COBOL,
custom, mainframe) is being phased out in place of SAP (yes, that SAP,
and
don't even get me started...) for procurement... as I type. It's taken
them
almost 10 years to do it, but it's almost done.
So, your best bet, IMHO, would be to find an employer willing to hire
and
train you in COBOL. If COBOL is important to them, and you are willing
and
eager enough, that would be enough to get you hired in most of the COBOL
shops I deal with today. If you have some other language experience,
then so
much the better.
Unfortunately, I don't know of any colleges teaching COBOL any longer.
As for self-training, unless the pricing has changed dramatically,
Fujitsu's
COBOL compiler can set you back $20K-30K. Not exactly a "hobbiest" or
"home
use" price. And CICS? I only know of that running in Mainframe and a few
iSeries shops.
And lastly, don't stop with COBOL. Learn at least two or three
programming
languages. There is nobody on the planet, that I have given that advice
to,
that has regretted taking it. Especially AS400 COBOL programmers... ;-)
but
that applies equally to RPG programmers that I taught COBOL to.
loravara@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Good Evening,
I am eager to learn COBOL, JCL, TSO, CICS and all of the other
minutiae that go along with programming on an IBM mainframe. Does
anyone know if any college or university anywhere in the U.S.
(preferably near Denver) offers courses in such areas? Failing that,
does anyone have advice on how to proceed, how to learn the skills
that would be marketable to an employer without the backing of a
university? What, if anything, would prompt an employer to accept a
self-trained programmer?
Thanks for any advice you can offer. If this isn't the right list for
this, I apologize; if you feel you have information but this is an
off-topic question, please reply privately. I began my COBOL studies
with a mentor who said I had the mind of a programmer. Between his
lessons and lots of time with books, I've actually written some useful
COBOL, and I can write basic JCL and use TSO fairly well. BUT CICS is
a mystery, and I know there's a lot more to cover in all areas.
Thanks in advance.
Lora
---
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No act of charity goes unresented
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Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen
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