about cobol

[Guest_imported]

Why is cobol called the mother of all business languages

 

[slade]

Hi Sam,

Probably because Grace Hopper, retired as as a Rear Admiral in the US Navy, is considered the "developer" of the COBOL compiler, an improved version of something called "Flow-Matic". She is considered the Mother of Computing.

Incidently, she coined the term "bug", descibing a computer malfuntion, after a moth was found to be the culprit that caused a MARK I hardware glitch.

Since COBOL is by far the earliest and most used computer business language extant, the title is apt.

If you need more info just search the net for "grace hopper". They say there are more than 1 million sites devoted to her.

HTH, Jack.

 

[StephenJSpiro]

Ummm, the "Mother of computing" was Ada Lovelace, Lady Byron (Lord Byron's daughter and heir). She was a mathematical genius, and did the programming for George Babbage's Difference Engine (which has a pretty good claim to being the first computer.) The programming language ADA is named after her.
With all respect to Admiral Hopper, I think the "Mother of business languages" derives from the fact that it was the first successful one. Before that, computers were used almost exclusively for scientific and mathematical purposes.

Stephen J Spiro

 

[slade]

Ummmm, perhaps I should have said the, "Mother of Business Computing". I should also have said "Incidentally"; I'm surprised you missed that.

"Incidentally", Stephen, did you abdicate your title? It's been sadly missing in your more recent posts.

John H. Sleight, Jr.
Grand Duke of Data Processing

 

[StephenJSpiro]

No, just getting lazy. *L*

Stephen J Spiro
Memeber, ANSI COBOL Standards Committee

 

[3gm]

Also, it's a bit of an urban legend that Admiral Hopper coined the term bug. She did not; it was in use much earlier:

http://www.jamesshuggins.com/h/tek1/first_computer_bug.htm

Glenn