On the Media The Coding Language Caught in DOGE's Crosshairs
34 snips
Apr 16, 2025 Clive Thompson, author of 'Coders' and contributor to major publications like New York Times Magazine, joins to discuss the fascinating world of coding, particularly COBOL. He highlights COBOL's historical significance and how it transformed business and government operations since the 1950s. Thompson dives into the complexities of updating legacy systems, especially in government, and critiques the assumptions about replacing established technologies. He warns of the risks involved in modernizing critical infrastructure and the enduring necessity of COBOL in today's digital landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
COBOL Rewrite Challenges
- Banks worldwide have attempted COBOL rewrites, often facing cost overruns and difficulties.
- The Commonwealth Bank of Australia's rewrite cost double the estimate, reaching $1 billion Australian dollars.
NYT's COBOL Rewrite
- The New York Times spent three years rewriting their COBOL-based delivery system.
- They documented the arduous process in a white paper, cautioning others about similar endeavors.
New Jersey Unemployment System Crash
- New Jersey's unemployment system crashed in 2020, and the governor blamed COBOL.
- However, the actual issue stemmed from newer web-layer code, not the COBOL system itself.
