Re: COBOL, Article on new mainframe use

mitchalsup@aol.com (MitchAlsup1) writes:

On Wed, 21 Aug 2024 0:52:58 +0000, Keith Thompson wrote:

Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> writes:

On Tue, 20 Aug 2024 11:51:14 -0400, EricP wrote:

[...]

   x^17 = ((((x^2)^2)^2)^2)*x
>

>
I’d really like to see how you’d write that in COBOL ...

>
        COMPUTE X17 = ((((X**2)**2)**2)**2)*X

>
Why not::
>
         COMPUTE x17 = x**17
>
There are compilers these days that produce the above from
the simpler evaluation.

Sure, I wouldn't complexify x**17 to ((((X**2)**2)**2)**2)*X without a
very good reason.  I was just giving the most direct answer to the
question.

--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com
void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */