**Matthew Graybosch** @starbreaker · Apr 30, 2018, 15:28

**Matthew Graybosch** @starbreaker · Apr 30, 2018, 15:28

Matthew Graybosch @starbreaker

I know COBOL. Maybe I should switch jobs...

https://increment.com/programming-languages/cobol-all-the-way-down/

**Shivvi 😺** @shivvi · Apr 30, 2018, 15:32

**Shivvi 😺** @shivvi · Apr 30, 2018, 15:32

@starbreaker I've spent the best part of the past 20 years trying to forget that I ever knew COBOL. On the evening of 31st December 1999, unable to drink as I was on call, I wished I'd never even heard of it.

**Matthew Graybosch** @starbreaker · 2018-04-30T15:35:59Z

Matthew Graybosch @starbreaker

@shivvi I spent nine years maintaining a Visual Basic 6 desktop app. COBOL can't be much worse.

Apr 30, 2018, 15:35 · Web · 0 · 1

**Shivvi 😺** @shivvi · Apr 30, 2018, 15:42

**Shivvi 😺** @shivvi · Apr 30, 2018, 15:42

@starbreaker Can't argue with that either. OTOH at least VB has proper number manipulation.

**Matthew Graybosch** @starbreaker · Apr 30, 2018, 15:46

**Matthew Graybosch** @starbreaker · Apr 30, 2018, 15:46

@shivvi Not when the codebase was originally created by a COBOL guy who declares every variable globally in an application meant to handle muncipal tax assessment.

And it didn't have proper error handling, either. You had to use a GOTO.

**Shivvi 😺** @shivvi · Apr 30, 2018, 15:51

**Shivvi 😺** @shivvi · Apr 30, 2018, 15:51

@starbreaker enough to give one nightmares.

**Matthew Graybosch** @starbreaker · Apr 30, 2018, 15:59

**Matthew Graybosch** @starbreaker · Apr 30, 2018, 15:59

@shivvi I stared into the abyss. The abyss stared back. But, eventually, the abyss averted its gaze.

**Shivvi 😺** @shivvi · Apr 30, 2018, 16:02

**Shivvi 😺** @shivvi · Apr 30, 2018, 16:02

@starbreaker saves blushes and awkward silences that way.