Re: Rewriting SSA. Is This A Chance For GNU/Linux?

On 2025-04-02 05:32, c186282 wrote:

On 4/1/25 11:08 AM, -hh wrote:

On 4/1/25 10:40, Robert Heller wrote:

It should be noted that GnuCOBOL actually translates COBOL to C, and then
compiles the C code with GnuC.  In *theory* one could just run the whole code
base through GnuCOBOL and create a C code base, but good luck making much
sense of the generated C code...

>
I had to listen to a PMP rant all weekend about how profoundly stupid of a plan this is from DOGE,

    Musk's "plan" isn't bad ... per-se. As noted in a
   variety of news, some of those important federal
   agencies are STILL using 60s hardware & programming.
    The TRICK is getting any newer stuff RIGHT before it
   goes mainline. That old COBOL code was GREAT, never
   diss those narrow-tie Dilberts from the day.
    BUT ... as those COBOLs were kinda tweaked for the
   particular old boxes, no modern translation tool is
   gonna work worth a damn. It'll have to be HAND DONE,
   line by line, and done RIGHT. Forget Gen-Z/A2 and AI.
    As I said to be hated - PYTHON !  :-)

So, to the complexity of handling old code, you add the complexities of translating to another language.
Keep it simple: use today's COBOL. Less translation effort. Fewer errors.
--
Cheers, Carlos.