Summary

This chapter's goals were as follows :

• To discuss the activities surrounding the pending new COBOL standard for the mainframe and how that will create retraining opportunities for tomorrow's mainframe COBOL programmers

• To contrast the future for COBOL against the future for the average COBOL programmer

• To propel you into your reformation as you abandon the mainframe

To accomplish these goals, I discussed the current events of COBOL and some possible scenarios that today's mainframe programmer stands to experience. I presented the choices of retraining: to really stay current on the mainframe or to continue to code on the mainframe with yesterday 's COBOL 85 standard. It was my intention to use this chapter as an opportunity to shake loose any doubt that you might have had about abandoning the mainframe. This is a big step (and an exciting one).

I included the discussion about the J4 and COBOL 2002 to provide you with the appropriate information to enable an informed position from which you could have your own opinion about the current and future state of COBOL programming. To do otherwise , I think, would be a disservice to the average experienced mainframe programmer. You have invested 5, 10, maybe 20 years of your life learning to be an expert developer on the mainframe. I would not expect you to entertain the idea of abandoning the mainframe on a whim.

In the next chapter, I introduce you to the world of .NET. I have titled that chapter "What Is .NET?" And yes, it will take a full chapter to answer that question.