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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!
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"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
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