Re: advice on books to learn cobol

Also to add to this, those Windows compilers that "specialize" in IBM mainframe
compatibility (Micro Focus, IBM itself, and CA-Realia) cost $2000.00 or (much)
higher for their IBM mainframe compatibility modes (especially if you want
EBCDIC and DB2 compatibility). The free Fujitsu COBOL compiler (without DB2 or
SQL support) does provide medium IBM-mainframe compatibility - but only for
their (now long out-of-date) VS COBOL II compiler. It doesn't have any support
for "new" features from the LE period COBOLs.

COBOL is a VERY "portable" language if you stick to "standard conforming"
syntax. On the other hand, I don't think I have ever seen a production IBM
mainframe program that DID stick to the Standard conforming language. (Some
just have "minor" extensions - that are available on the PC - such as COMP-3 and
GOBACK. Other IBM mainframe applications use CICS, IMS, complex OCCURS
DEPENDING ON structures and many other extensions that are either missing or not
common with Windows compilers - or that cost additional amounts as "add-ons").

If you goal is to become "a little familiar" with COBOL - so that you can do
VERY MINOR changes (mostly in "record structure) of an IBM mainframe COBOL/DB2
(without CICS or IMS - or Assembler) applications, then getting one of the
"beginner books" (like Thane Hubbels) that DOES include a Windows compiler in
it, would probably give you what you want.

If you want to gain "proficiency" in IBM mainframe COBOL application
maintenance, (and want to "practice" on the PC), then you will need to have
SOMEONE spend a "bunch" of money.

--
Bill Klein
wmklein <at> ix.netcom.com
"Richard" <riplin@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1162283721.053915.121600@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

some wrote:

Do they expect you to pay the two grand or so cost out-of-pocket, or do
they expect you to steal a copy for them?

I am unclear by your message. As I am new to this field I don't know
much about cost of compiler or the machine but I thought there might be
some free compilers which could be used with a Windows machine. Can
anybody recommend some good ones? A web search reveals many and I am
confused which should I choose?

I thought if I work on a Windows machine with some COBOL compiler the
language skills could be transferrable while working on a mainframe.

Am I understanding something incorrectly?

Can you please clarify?

There are OpenCobol and tinyCobol which are Open Source and not
complete.

Fujitsu have a free student edition of their version 3. This is fairly
old but fairly good.

There is a cheap student edition of MicroFocus.

These don't do SQL.

Productiion quality compilers can be a couple of thousand.



.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: COMP-3 Questions
    ... This means COBOL ... Workstation compilers that EMULATE IBM mainframe behavior. ... Do;you support both LINE Sequential and RECORD ... Regarding which compiler or what error I was seeing, ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)
  • Re: GOBACK (was: Perform Thru/Go to vs. Perform - Compile Speed
    ... >> significant than the estimated 30,000 IBM mainframe Cobol compilers ... including all of the various versions of the CoBOL ... When code generated by compiler X for a line of Cobol is ... Executions on single-user and 'sandbox' machines don't count. ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)
  • Re: invoking a method
    ... The use of SET as shown here, will not work outside the Fujitsu Object COBOL ... invoke DBObject ... I will admit I have not worked on anyone else's Cobol compiler so I ... typical reference manual for a Cobol Compiler will have line and box based ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)
  • Re: C03 abend when omitting CEE.SCEERUN from JCL
    ... The AMODE, RMODE, RENT, and RES information are link-edit information, not ... "compiler option" information. ... VS Cobol Program is actually OS/VS Cobol (amblist shows 5740CB103 as ... Do you mean VS COBOL II or OS/VS COBOL? ...
    (bit.listserv.ibm-main)
  • Re: COBOL Compiler for Windows
    ... rebadged Micro Focus compiler. ... to run TSO/SPF on your mainframe. ... Or maybe he wants a mainframe emulation environment, ... Why would a small developer pay several thousand for a .NET COBOL ...
    (comp.lang.cobol)