Gavin Flower said on Wed, 15 Sep 2021 13:49:39 +1200 >Hi Michael, [snip] >> >> COBOL has strange verbs like 'move corresponding' that could >> accomplish complicated tasks in a few lines but you have to be >> careful that you knew what you were asking for! > >In our site that was banned as being too dangerous. > >And how about the 'lovely' ALTER GOTO construct??? > >Children don't try to use these constructs at home, as even >experienced adults get burnt using them! I never Cobolled professionally, but took 3 semesters of Cobol and Santa Monica Community College in Santa Monica, California USA. They taught us move corresponding, I used it, it was handy. I'd use it again if I were a Cobol professional. As far as alter, in 1981, before I became a programmer, I asked my Cobol Programmer friend if there was anything you could put in a program that would get you fired. He said yes, the alter statement :-). In my 3 semesters of Cobol, I never once used the Alter statement. SteveT Steve Litt Spring 2021 featured book: Troubleshooting Techniques of the Successful Technologist http://www.troubleshooters.com/techniques
