Python and COBOL

[John W. Baxter]

In article <oq1yz9ttlh.fsf at titan.progiciels-bpi.ca>, François Pinard 
<pinard at iro.umontreal.ca> wrote:

> [1] COBOL never had `TAB' versus spaces debates like for Python, that
> I've been aware of.  Maybe it is just that `TAB' was not invented yet...

COBOL was invented in punched card and punched paper tape days.
Punched card culture did things in fixed columns (enforced by the 
programming of the card punch); PPT culture did things with FS (field 
separator).  It's not surprising that tab wasn't an issue.

While COBOL did migrate to glass teletypes and other modern media 
(especially during the wonderful days leading up to Jan 1, 2000, when 
retired COBOL experts could earn more in two years than they did during 
their long careers), tab was likely no more than a way to get a bunch of 
spaces ending at a known column (I wasn't involved).

I wrote a fair amount of COBOL (punched cards, and later glass TTY 
punched card images), and rather liked it.

  --John

-- 
John W. Baxter   Port Ludlow, WA USA  jwbnews at scandaroon.com