Re: [open-cobol-list] Anybody use emacs to code COBOL?

[Duke Normandin]

On Thu, 6 Aug 2009, vince coen wrote:

> Hi Duke;
>
> On Thursday 06 August 2009, you wrote:
>
[snip]

> I started working on a IBM 1401 at 13 (1960/1) as an operator after a few
> months starting programming for it in machine code, then assembler then Cobol
> some of which was front-ended into a 7094 which had 20 odd tape decks.  As
> this machine was in a shop type window very near London's west end it had a
> lot of pedestrians walking by all day til very late at night and I seem to
> recall my party trick when I had a bunch watching us was one would raise our
> hands as a musical conductor (sort of) and the other would press the unload
> button on the console and all the tape drives would unload with the large
> heads all opening at the same time.  Always got a clap.

I've heard it all now --- a 13yr old hacker back in 19 bloody 61!!
Good for you! Talk about being ahead of your time. ;)

> > > > COBOL, kicking around; and me hacking
> > > > M(umps) code as well. ;))
> > >
> > > Have not seen that in 30 yrs or so. Didnt know it was still in use let
> > > alone the hardware still working.
> >
> > You bet! The _entire_ VA hospital/patient_records system is _still_
> > running under VISTA/M(umps). I can you the URLs for 2 free M(umps)
> > implementations, if and when you are ever interested.
>
> and I thought the UK National Health Service had some old kit, but not that
> old.

Of course, the modern M(umps) systems are not tied into legacy
hardware, nor are they limited by legacy idiosyncrasies. Have a look:

http://gradvs1.mgateway.com/main/index.html?path=mdb

> > > > I use VIM as well. I have nothing against it, really. How is it as a
> > > > COBOL programming environment?
> > >
> > > VIM is ok, but I use cream over it instead but use kate normally as the
> > > editor
> >
> > How different is cream/VIM from GVIM?
>
> Cream has  a very strong GUI fromt end, a lot better than GVIM but hey

Cool! I've DLed already and will try to build it on my OS X box. Thanks!
-- 
Duke