[–] G45Colt_II [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
I don't know about COBOL, I always assume there's compiler nuances one needs to learn.
Wholeheartedly agree on the stalling tactic. They may have a problem, but not offering to pay anyone to fix it is a sure sign they'd rather not have it get fixed.
[–] TurquoiseLover 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago (edited ago)
Even worse! Is anyone still using assembly language? You betcha! Banks!! https://www.eetimes.com/is-anyone-still-using-assembly-language-you-betcha-part-1/#
All the big banks still use Assembler (and bill gates kicked all the real programmers to the curb).
It just cracks me up he sold all his crap by lying to management and telling them they would be able to get RID of all their high priced programmers what a scream!!! The end result, they ended up doubling and tripling their staff in short time (and microsoft crap is always broken).
[–] G45Colt_II [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Ever had to do machine code? For some reason one of my college classes required we demonstrate the ability to convert our assembly code to machine code and prove it works. To make it interesting, the processors would overheat and start writing random logic, so you had a short window of time to get it programmed and working before it threatened to self destruct. Since it was connected to a motor controller as part of the project, self destruction was pretty literal and imminent, so you kept a hand on the off switch. Fortunately it was during the winter, and we could open all the windows (one of the few labs with windows), get the room down to about 50 degrees, and gain an extra few minutes of coding time. Did I mention that that we wrote the code directly to ram, and any glitch forced a reset and start over? Or that one entry mistake meant a reset and starting over? Or that it was hundreds of lines of code? Or that commands, variables, and constants were all in the same piece of memory, and getting one bit wrong turned a number into a command? The more I think about it, the more I remember, and there is more. I better stop now.
In retrospect, there's comedy gold buried in those memories. It just didn't feel like it at the time.
[–] TurquoiseLover ago (edited ago)
Yes I worked on machine code (assembler) for a few years (not full time though). That's like learning to drive with a stick shift!
[–] TurquoiseLover 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
I'm too busy now, better things to do.
[–] G45Colt_II [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
But, volunteering would make you feel so good.
BTW, you don't get a tax deduction for volunteering time to the state. Actually, we all volunteer time to the state now, some more than others....
[–] io-io 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
My wife saw the headlines on another news site and sent me an email (too lazy to walk clear across the house) with the subject - "You are NOT going back to work". For the Year 2000 fiasco (Y2K) they were paying $200/hour (essentially $400,000 per year). I'm now retired.....
[–] G45Colt_II [S] 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Typical dems - steal our money, give away our money, and then ask us to volunteer to fix their problems.
Wanted urgently: People who know a half century-old computer language so states can process unemployment claims
Posted on 04/09/2020 by Wirecutter
On top of ventilators, face masks and health care workers, you can now add COBOL programmers to the list of what several states urgently need as they battle the coronavirus pandemic.
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy has put out a call for volunteers who know how to code the decades-old computer programming language called COBOL because many of the state’s systems still run on older mainframes.
[–] TurquoiseLover ago
Yes, and leftists are SO technical because they stole all the patents from conservatives. But meanwhile, they're incompetent and have no skills and can't accomplish anything but sh-t.
[–] monsterdoggie 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
It's been over 40 years, but I could get up to speed in an afternoon. Unfortunately I'm busy with other things.
[–] G45Colt_II [S] ago
I picked up a beginning COBOL book for next to nothing in a book store clearance rack. Never read it (other than a quick glance through it) and never learned COBOL. Probably could have, but was wrapping my head around C at the time. It's probably just as well.
[–] monsterdoggie 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
C ended up being used a lot more widely.
[–] rapedbyanape 2 points -2 points 0 points (+0|-2) ago
No I am to busy fucking OP mom