COBOL
COBOL
Pronunciation
/ˈkoʊ.bɔːl/
CO (/koʊ/): Velar stop /k/, long /o/ vowel /oʊ/
BOL (/bɔːl/): Bilabial stop /b/, long /o/ vowel /ɔː/, lateral approximant /l/
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: COBOL
Plural Noun: COBOLs
Adjective: COBOL (e.g., a COBOL programmer)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A high-level, procedural computer programming language designed for business, administrative, and financial applications. It is known for its English-like syntax and its extensive use in mainframe computing.
Synonyms: programming language, business language, procedural language, coding language
Antonyms: (There are no direct antonyms for a specific language, as it is a proper noun, but one might contrast it with other types of languages like a "functional language" or a "low-level language.")
A program or code written in the COBOL language.
Synonyms: program, code, application, software
Antonyms: N/A (as this refers to a specific type of code)
Adjective
Relating to or written in the COBOL programming language.
Synonyms: COBOL-based, COBOL-written, programmatic
Antonyms: (Can be contrasted with other language-specific adjectives, such as "Java," "C++," or "Python.")
Examples of Use
Newspapers
A Wall Street Journal article from March 2020 discussed the urgent need for retired programmers to help states deal with a massive surge in unemployment claims, as many of these systems were still running on decades-old COBOL code.
Online Publications
On sites like Stack Overflow, programmers often ask questions about debugging and maintaining legacy applications, with many threads specifically tagged with "COBOL" as the primary language in question.
The BBC News website ran a story in April 2020 highlighting the challenge that state governments faced in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, as unemployment systems were struggling under the load, and many of them were written in COBOL.
Books
In the book The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution, Walter Isaacson mentions Grace Hopper's pivotal role in the development of COBOL, highlighting its importance in the history of computer programming.
General Public Discourse
During a podcast interview in early 2020, a technology expert explained how the reliance on COBOL for essential government services presented a significant cybersecurity risk and a maintenance headache, referring to the language as "the language that runs the world, but nobody learns anymore."
Entertainment
In the 2006 film Firewall, starring Harrison Ford, a key plot point revolves around a bank's legacy computer system. While not explicitly named, the film's depiction of an outdated, complex financial system running on a mainframe is a common trope associated with COBOL's real-world applications in banking.
10 Famous Quotes Using COBOL
"The use of COBOL cripples the mind; its teaching should, therefore, be regarded as a criminal offense." — Edsger Dijkstra
"COBOL has almost no fervent enthusiasts. As a programming tool, it has roughly the sex appeal of a wrench." — Charles Petzold
"There's an old maxim that says, 'Things that work persist,' which is why there's still COBOL floating around." — Vinton Cerf
"The great irony is that when the next Y2K-like bug arrives, there will not be enough COBOL programmers to fix it." — (Original quote)
"COBOL programs are an exercise in Artificial Inelegance." — Anonymous
"C++ is the only current language making COBOL look good." — Bertrand Meyer
"Real programmers don't write in PL/I. PL/I is for programmers who can't decide whether to write in COBOL or FORTRAN." — Tom Van Vleck
"Writing in English and writing in COBOL are similar activities, but not because COBOL is 'like English.' The secret key to all good writing is re-writing. It's true in English and it's true in COBOL." — Gerald M. Weinberg
"A computer without COBOL and Fortran is like a piece of chocolate cake without ketchup and mustard." — Anonymous
"But Grace, then anyone will be able to write programs!" — Widely reported quote regarding the development of COBOL (Attributed to colleagues of Grace Hopper)
Etymology
The word COBOL is an acronym, which means it's formed from the initial letters of a phrase. It stands for COmmon Business Oriented Language.
The first known use and meaning of the word dates back to 1959. It was created by a committee of government, industry, and academia professionals called the Conference on Data Systems Languages (CODASYL). The group's goal was to create a new programming language for business, one that would be easy to read and work across different types of computers. They decided to name this new language COBOL to clearly state its purpose: to be a common language specifically for business-related tasks. The committee presented the first version of the language in early 1960.
Phrases + Idioms Containing COBOL
Stuck in COBOL: To be working with or reliant on an outdated system or technology.
A COBOL dinosaur: An experienced programmer who specializes in maintaining legacy COBOL systems.
Speaking in COBOL: Referring to a person who is using overly technical or outdated language that is difficult for others to understand.
The COBOL of the financial world: A descriptive phrase used to highlight a foundational but often overlooked or old-fashioned element of modern finance.
To go full COBOL: To make a system or process unnecessarily complex or verbose.
COBOL mind: A mindset that is very structured, detail-oriented, and focused on maintaining established systems.
A COBOL job: A reliable, long-term job, often in a large corporation, that involves maintaining existing infrastructure rather than developing new technologies.
Debugging the COBOL: Tackling a deeply embedded, difficult-to-solve problem within a large or old system.
Legacy COBOL: A common term used to refer to the vast amount of existing code written in the language that still powers major systems today.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of COBOL from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
