[Info-vax] Any stronger versions of the LMF planned ?, was: Re: LMF Licence Generator Code

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 8/7/2021 6:42 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 8/7/21 5:56 PM, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>> On 8/7/2021 7:59 AM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>>>                                                       Go read some
>>> of the stuff on LinkedIn about "Legacy Systems".  Not specifically
>>> about VMS but the attitude is even if it still does the job if it
>>> is old (ie. COBOL) it is bad and a problem.
>>
>> Being old is not a problem in itself.
> 
> Being old is never a problem in itself.  I'm old and regularly
> compete with people less than half my age, successfully.
> 
>> It becomes a problem if:
>> - it is out of support
> 
> Lack of support for one part of an IS should not be a reason to
> abandon it in its entirety.

If that part cannot be replaced: yes it is.

And even if that part can be replaced then the question is at what
cost compared top the replacement. And it also raises the question
about whether other parts will go out of support soon.

>> - it is hard to find people with skills
> 
> That is a fixable problem.
> 
> https://edscoop.com/college-legacy-programming-langauges-grant-bill/

That is a good proposal.

But do you expect serious companies to base their future on that
such a bill get approved, that funding will continue in the future
and that students will be interested?

>> - it does not integrate with newer system that it need to
>>    integrate with
> 
> With the exception of Dave's system (I actually know very little
> about VMS BASIC) I can think of no legacy system that can not be
> integrated into a modern system.  I have had no problems doing web
> programming with COBOL.

Anything can be somewhat integrated using various hacks.

But good integration will often be either impossible or
expensive.

>> - it is expensive to maintain
> 
> In the case of legacy systems expense is more objective than
> subjective.  A little research will show how the majority of
> these modernization projects usually run way over budget and
> seldom accomplish their original goal.

Huge IT projects are in general risky.

Migration projects are no exception.

Arne