Is there actual demand for new COBOL developers? I thought companies were on the lookout for experienced developers who are either retired or about to retire.
Thoughts?
so accurate now. why would companies be on the lookout for people who don't want to work anymore?
unixl0rd wrote to All <=-
Is there actual demand for new COBOL developers? I thought companies
were on the lookout for experienced developers who are either retired
or about to retire.
I just found out that IBM offers a free introductory COBOL course:
Is there actual demand for new COBOL developers? I thought companies were on the lookout for experienced developers who are either retired or about to retire.
Is there actual demand for new COBOL developers? I thought companies were on the lookout for experienced developers who are either retired or about to retire.
Is there actual demand for new COBOL developers? I thought companies were onetire.
lookout for experienced developers who are either retired or about to
unixl0rd wrote to MRO <=-
My guess is that the codebase is so large and complicated that
re-hiring retired devs would be more efficient than hiring new devs who don't know their way around the code. On the other hand, new
applications may not require the same amount of experience, and this is where new devs would step in.
Dumas Walker wrote to UNIXL0RD <=-
"COBOL suffers from a 'major image problem' that stems from fundamental misperceptions.
When a group of academic and industry researchers asked
The article goes on to speculate that the COBOL's perception problem
stems from "IT leaders" who were familiar with COBOL no longer being
the ones making decisions.
IHMO: The demand is good - now. But the market is actively trying to reduce that demand. So in the long term, a COBOL career is not a good way to go.
Dumas Walker wrote to DR. WHAT <=-
IHMO: The demand is good - now. But the market is actively trying to reduce that demand. So in the long term, a COBOL career is not a good way to go.
While I tend to agree with you, that is what they were saying after Y2K came and passed. That was 23 years ago. :)
But a COBOL-only programmer isn't going to have a good job for 20 years.
I never said that COBOL was gone. But as a long term career, COBOL is a poor choice. Now, COBOL plus <something else> may be a good thing in most companies today. But a COBOL-only programmer isn't going to have a good job for 20 years.
MRO wrote to Dr. What <=-
I never said that COBOL was gone. But as a long term career, COBOL is a poor choice. Now, COBOL plus <something else> may be a good thing in most companies today. But a COBOL-only programmer isn't going to have a good job for 20 years.
if they worked for my state govt they would.
oI never said that COBOL was gone. But as a long term career, COBOL is a poor choice. Now, COBOL plus <something else> may be a good thing in most companies today. But a COBOL-only programmer isn't going to have a good
for 20 years.
if they worked for my state govt they would.
MRO wrote to Dr. What <=-
I never said that COBOL was gone. But as a long term career, COBOL is a poor choice. Now, COBOL plus <something else> may be a good thing in most companies today. But a COBOL-only programmer isn't going to have a good job for 20 years.
if they worked for my state govt they would.
Dr. What wrote to MRO <=-
*sigh* Yes. I keep forgetting about the technical backwater which is
the gov't.
Dumas Walker wrote to MRO <=-
if they worked for my state govt they would.
They would here, too, *except* they could get paid a lot more
elsewhere, even as a contract employee.
poindexter FORTRAN wrote to MRO <=-
Yeah, I don't think the idea was to put all of your eggs in one basket, says the guy with FORTRAN in his handle. :)
They would here, too, *except* they could get paid a lot more
elsewhere, even as a contract employee.
Yeah, but after working for a local government for a time, the key isn't
the salary - it's the PENSION. Keep your head down, don't make waves,
last 5 years and you could start collecting a pension when you retire.
The floor was something like 5% after 5 years, scaling upwards every
year. 5 percent of your salary FOR LIFE. Once you get in the habit of
doing just enough to not get fired and don't come onto anyone's radar,
the years just keep piling up.
*sigh* Yes. I keep forgetting about the technical backwater which is the gov't.
California EDD was backlogged during COVID and blamed their COBOL code.
I bet they were waiting on budget for another dozen AS/400s.
Feoh wrote to unixl0rd <=-
He recently lost his job with IBM, and was casting around looking for
new employment, and it was rough.
Does that mean you shouldn't learn COBOL or IBM mainframe technology?
Not at all! It could be an interesting experience and improve the depth and breadth of your understanding of technology as a whole.
To my mind, contributing to open source and building a resume of code people can review and appreciate matters a lot more, as well as job experience.
I just found out that IBM offers a free introductory COBOL course:
https://www.ibm.com/blogs/ibm-training/free-course-announcing-learning-cobol rogramming-with-vscode/
Is there actual demand for new COBOL developers? I thought companies were on
Thoughts?
... It is always darkest just before you turn on the lights.
Speaking from experience, where I work (as is the case everywhere) the cobol programmers are aging out and retiring. The new ones we hire are still in the same general age range and I'm sure they are demanding a
lot of money since the pool is getting smaller and the codebase is still significant.
Speaking from experience, where I work (as is the case everywhere) the cobol programmers are aging out and retiring. The new ones we hire are still in the same general age range and I'm sure they are demanding a lot of money since the pool is getting smaller and the codebase is still significant.
I've got about fifteen years of experience as a web developer and to be honest I am kinda bored. Learning COBOL might give me the stimulation I need right now even if it doesn't land me a job.
unixl0rd wrote to CDP <=-
I've got about fifteen years of experience as a web developer and to be honest I am kinda bored. Learning COBOL might give me the stimulation I need right now even if it doesn't land me a job.
I've got about fifteen years of experience as a web developer and to be honest I am kinda bored. Learning COBOL might give me the stimulation I need right now even if it doesn't land me a job.
I've got about fifteen years of experience as a web developer and to be hone
... I BM. You BM. We all BM for IBM!
Re: Re: COBOL?
By: unixl0rd to CDP on Thu Jun 01 2023 07:45 pm
I've got about fifteen years of experience as a web developer and to be hone
... I BM. You BM. We all BM for IBM!
Coincidentally I have a book sitting on my desk in front of me that I had tucked away for years and never used. Sams Teach Yourself Cobol in 21 Days. I've actually been going through that in my spare time just to do something with the book before I pass it on. I work mostly as an admin in
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