Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!motown!jmr From: jmr@motown.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions Subject: Re: COBOL compiler for UNIX Message-ID: <1508@motown.UUCP> Date: Mon, 7-Dec-87 16:20:23 EST Article-I.D.: motown.1508 Posted: Mon Dec 7 16:20:23 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 12-Dec-87 15:37:59 EST Organization: Allied-Signal Corporate Tax Dept., Morristown, NJ Lines: 44 Keywords: Ryan-McFarland, Austec, Philon, GAG!! > At Acadia University we are considering a project that would require a > good stable COBOL environment running on the Unix operating system. If > anyone has experience (good or bad) that they would like to share we > would be very appreciative. Please provide specifics as to which COBOL > environment you've tried and on which variant of UNIX it was running. > > UUCP: {uunet|watmath|utai|garfield}!dalcs!aucs!wdw > BITNET: WDW@Acadia > Internet: WDW%Acadia.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU Gee -- And I though I was the only one cursed by COBOL! Actually, I *wish* I had good experience to pass along... I've been trying to find a COBOL compiler for about 2 years to run on AT&T System V. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to bee such a thing. Our first company to deal with was Philon in New York City. They claim that their COBOL runs under BSD or Ultrix. The System V version will be ready for release ``in about two weeks'' -- That quote was given to me in April, 1986... Next major attempt was with Austec. Same deal -- nothing for System V. This is the company that bought Ryan-McFarland. Their COBOL supposedly also runs on BSD and Ultrix. The main problem with this company is a complete lack of cooperation. Let's see -- from my last conversation, their System V COBOL will be ready ``in about two weeks...'' Good luck talking to ANYBODY from Austec. They have a terrible aversion to returning phone calls. If I had a dime for every time I was told ``I'll call you tomorrow...'' ... Unfortunately, we're stuck using Ryan-McFarland's toy COBOL compiler. It is exceptionally slow as it's a runtime interpreter. It's also missing a few things like: SORT/MERGE, STRING, UNSTRING, COMMUNICATIONS. Overall it is tolerable if you don't have to do any real work. I wish you luck, but just wanted to let you know it ain't gonna be easy! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I enjoy working with human beings, and John M. Ritter have stimulating relationships with them." Allied-Signal, Inc. - HAL 9000 Corporate Tax Department {bellcore,clyde,ihnp4,princeton,rutgers}!motown!jmr ------------------------------------------------------------------------------