Computerworld Article: The COBOL Brain Drain

In article <cbb68f92-1b7e-44df-9334-1f0963c7675f@googlegroups.com>,
Alistair Maclean <alistair.j.l.maclean@gmail.com> wrote:
>On Friday, 25 May 2012 02:10:14 UTC+1, (unknown) wrote:
>> In article <f109c394-729b-43a4-aa20-b5fc7b2ac55d@googlegroups.com>,
>> Alistair Maclean <alistair.j.l.maclean@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>> >In my recent experience
>> >incoming newbie programmers are not trained (properly or otherwise),
>> >qualified or experienced in Cobol or any other language.
>>
>> Are they not having to be given studyings for the conversation in the
>> finest of Englishes? Hoi!
>
>Bugrit! I just wasn't pedantic enough.

Now there's a question which might be of interest, Mr Maclean: what is the
difference between precision and pedantry?

DD

On Sat, 26 May 2012 20:25:35 +0000 (UTC), docdwarf@panix.com () wrote:

>Now there's a question which might be of interest, Mr Maclean: what is the
>difference between precision and pedantry?

I'm accurate, you're precise, he's pedant?

--
"In no part of the constitution is more wisdom to be found,
than in the clause which confides the question of war or peace
to the legislature, and not to the executive department."

- James Madison

In article <ops2s798j1esoj6h63k8842pu25kl2r1l3@4ax.com>,
Howard Brazee <howard@brazee.net> wrote:
>On Sat, 26 May 2012 20:25:35 +0000 (UTC), docdwarf@panix.com () wrote:
>
>>Now there's a question which might be of interest, Mr Maclean: what is the
>>difference between precision and pedantry?
>
>I'm accurate, you're precise, he's pedant?

Answering a question with a question is no answer at all, Mr Brazee, and
this particular might seem to say more about the people who compose 'I',
'you' and 'he' than anything else.

DD

docdwarf@panix.com wrote:
> In article <cbb68f92-1b7e-44df-9334-1f0963c7675f@googlegroups.com>,
> Alistair Maclean <alistair.j.l.maclean@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Friday, 25 May 2012 02:10:14 UTC+1, (unknown) wrote:
>>> In article <f109c394-729b-43a4-aa20-b5fc7b2ac55d@googlegroups.com>,
>>> Alistair Maclean <alistair.j.l.maclean@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> [snip]
>>>
>>>> In my recent experience
>>>> incoming newbie programmers are not trained (properly or
>>>> otherwise), qualified or experienced in Cobol or any other
>>>> language.
>>>
>>> Are they not having to be given studyings for the conversation in
>>> the finest of Englishes? Hoi!
>>
>> Bugrit! I just wasn't pedantic enough.
>
> Now there's a question which might be of interest, Mr Maclean: what
> is the difference between precision and pedantry?
>
> DD

It's all in how you communicate the precision. Pedantry is parading your
precision... :-)

Pete.

--
"I used to write COBOL...now I can do anything."

In article <a2ei3sFl7nU1@mid.individual.net>,
Pete Dashwood <dashwood@removethis.enternet.co.nz> wrote:
>docdwarf@panix.com wrote:
>> In article <cbb68f92-1b7e-44df-9334-1f0963c7675f@googlegroups.com>,
>> Alistair Maclean <alistair.j.l.maclean@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Friday, 25 May 2012 02:10:14 UTC+1, (unknown) wrote:
>>>> In article <f109c394-729b-43a4-aa20-b5fc7b2ac55d@googlegroups.com>,
>>>> Alistair Maclean <alistair.j.l.maclean@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> [snip]
>>>>
>>>>> In my recent experience
>>>>> incoming newbie programmers are not trained (properly or
>>>>> otherwise), qualified or experienced in Cobol or any other
>>>>> language.
>>>>
>>>> Are they not having to be given studyings for the conversation in
>>>> the finest of Englishes? Hoi!
>>>
>>> Bugrit! I just wasn't pedantic enough.
>>
>> Now there's a question which might be of interest, Mr Maclean: what
>> is the difference between precision and pedantry?
>>
>
>It's all in how you communicate the precision. Pedantry is parading your
>precision... :-)

An amusing image, Mr Dashwood... the band is dismissed, uniforms doffed,
regulation pace neglected... and over there, coyly peeking in and out from
behind a fan... look, there it is again!... a moue, a wink... it's
precision!

DD