Please note: Murach's Structured COBOL, ISBN: 1890774057 has been replaced by Murach's Mainframe COBOL, ISBN: 1890774243. When Micro Focus dropped Personal COBOL, a PC compiler, we published Murach's Mainframe COBOL, ISBN: 1890774243, in which all examples of PC COBOL have been dropped...a much cleaner presentation. And to make the new book even better for mainframe training, we added two chapters to the IBM Environment section.
We're happy to return to straight mainframe COBOL because 95% of COBOL runs on mainframes and that's where the customer base for training books is. In the business world, mainframe systems are still "alive" and run billions of line of code that must be maintained etc. So Murach's Mainframe COBOL, freshens our mainframe line and ties in with our best-selling, classic books on OS/390 and z/OS JCL (1890774146), CICS (189077409X), and DB2 (1890774022).
From the Author
When we decided to update our Structured ANS COBOL books, we re-thought our approach from scratch. We wanted our new edition to be a terrific tool for beginners, but we also wanted it to be an indispensable reference for programmers on the job.
The result is Murach's Structured COBOL, and there isn't another COBOL book that even comes close to matching the value it delivers. If you're new to COBOL, you'll know more at the end of the first 5 chapters than you will from reading other COBOL books cover to cover. If you're already working in a COBOL shop, you'll rely on this book every day for information on coding details, statements you don't know about, better ways of programming, and the realities of working in an IBM mainframe shop.
What's more, all the information is presented in such a concise, time-saving way, you can find out what you want to know, when you want to know it, no matter how rushed you are. Try it yourself you'll find it's an essential addition to your COBOL library.
This seems to indicate to me that Murach's Mainframe COBOL is what I should actually get. I know some folks like @vcoen recommend Murach's. I just want to make sure if I should just buy this old copy or go straight to the Murach website where I can also buy the printed and PDF version.
Any recommendations are very much appreciated. When I settle back down out of my truck (I am a trucker right now) I plan on collecting all the COBOL books I can for my own library.
Last edit: Aoirthoir An Broc 2022-10-10
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I do like Murach's books also. The DB2 for the COBOL programmer part 1 and 2, and the CICS for the COBOL programmer were very helpful to me at one time.
I like some cobol books that I forgot, one I have is Advanced ANSI COBOL with Structured Programming by Gary DeWard Brown. He writes well on many mainframe topics. I look at abebooks.com they have lots old stuff Cheap.
If you want IBM Language Reference and Programming Guide, You can down load much here: https://public.dhe.ibm.com/software/zseries/cobol/docs/zOSCOBOLV6R2/en/cobolv6r2_en.zip
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
For books on Cobol I have only two and both by Murach :
Cobol unleashed - minor coverage (really an into) to RW (Report Writer) does not include such features as SORT tables.
CICS for the Cobol programmer - I very rarely read this one.
Micro Focus Cobol for Workbench v3.4 - This one I look at more often for older Cobol standards, as it goes back to the 70's.
Along with Micro Focus Cobol for DOS, Windows and OS/2 Pocket Guide issue 6 - April 93 ( 1976 - 1993 ) - I tend to use this to refresh my memory for older standard Cobol but refer to the GC PG for all later.
I also have the manuals (not that I read often):
For IBM 1401 about 50 pages and was my first teaching tool for Cobol programming which I read around 1963.
IBM 360/370 [GC28-6396-6] ANSI Cobol from MVS 3.8 and MVT and the small pocket Reference guide that is also in the back of the ANSI Cobol manual and can be copied or removed etc.
IBM 370++ Cobol OS/VS II circa 70's
There are a few more in the cupboard :)
Manuals for later IBM compilers are now very thin on the ground as they have moved to all docs being html and online, which I find a right pain in the ass and yes do not like them, as sometimes I wish to read them away from a computer and make use of the Index.
Must point out is that there are NO recent books on Cobol even for the Cobol standard circa 2000 or later. I am totally ignoring any on Structured Cobol or OOCobol as I know of only one compiler and thats lotofmoney (MF Visual Cobol) and so can't be bothered to learn it.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Thank you for the information and advice. There is a new COBOL series by a guy that seems to know nothing about COBOL, I got it for free on Kindle Unlimited and I learned from him several important things:
COBOL literally stands for Common Business Oriented Language. COBOL was created in 1959 by John Backus, and was primarly designed to be a language suitable for business use. The language was originally called Backus-Naur Formalism, but that name has fallen into disuse. 'COBOL' is on common use today to refer to the language itself, and its dialects are often referred to as 'COBOL languages.'
&
The standardization of COBOL occured during the phase when the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) was developing the programming language FORTRAN, which later became the language COBOL most resembled. In fact, in 1963, John W. Backus (the inventor of FORTAN) claimed that "the overlap between FOTRAN and COBOL is becoming greater and greater as time goes on," with some pages being 85-90% identical.
&
The COBOL programming language has 31 divisions, 18 chapters, and 10 appendices. The divisions are: introduction, environment division, character division, numeric division, data division (also referred to as file organization), input-output procedures (IOP), sequential procedures (SP), parelle and partitioned operations (PPOPS), facilities reference summary (FRSUM), index (INDX) and examples of syntax.
(no he is not talking about his book here by mistakes, it does not have 18 chapters.. etc...)
&
COBOL syntax gives the programmer a great deal of freedom as to how statements are written and what rules must be followed. COBOL statements can be written using upper- or lowercase letters, and no spaces or special characters are required between the words that make up a statement. Each statement must end with a semicolon (;) to denote its end.
&
Data entry screens in a modern-day COBOL programming language are using created using Classic ASP (Active Server Pages), which is the most popular (LOLOLOLOLOL) server side technology for creating and editing web forms.
NO i am not kidding yall this is actually in his book... and it just gets more interesting from there....
In any case I would like to create a COBOL in print library, gather together all the old books I can, and also have digital copies as well. Even if it is GIGO...like Vicker's work. I think he probably just hired people from https://fiverr.com to write it for him lol.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Wow, just wow. Need to coin new phrases for that level of wrong.
Too bad Jean Sammet wasn't still around. Send her over to cuff that author upside the head. But she wouldn't do that. Maybe drop a few boxes of card decks on the floor and tell them they can't leave until they get all the cards in the proper order, and repunched on new stock.
Blue
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
On Amazon for Murach's Structured COBOL is this statement:
This seems to indicate to me that Murach's Mainframe COBOL is what I should actually get. I know some folks like @vcoen recommend Murach's. I just want to make sure if I should just buy this old copy or go straight to the Murach website where I can also buy the printed and PDF version.
Any recommendations are very much appreciated. When I settle back down out of my truck (I am a trucker right now) I plan on collecting all the COBOL books I can for my own library.
Last edit: Aoirthoir An Broc 2022-10-10
I do like Murach's books also. The DB2 for the COBOL programmer part 1 and 2, and the CICS for the COBOL programmer were very helpful to me at one time.
I like some cobol books that I forgot, one I have is Advanced ANSI COBOL with Structured Programming by Gary DeWard Brown. He writes well on many mainframe topics. I look at abebooks.com they have lots old stuff Cheap.
If you want IBM Language Reference and Programming Guide, You can down load much here:
https://public.dhe.ibm.com/software/zseries/cobol/docs/zOSCOBOLV6R2/en/cobolv6r2_en.zip
thank you very much I'll look at both they will be very useful to building my Cobol library especially as I start to learn mainframe as well
For books on Cobol I have only two and both by Murach :
Cobol unleashed - minor coverage (really an into) to RW (Report Writer) does not include such features as SORT tables.
CICS for the Cobol programmer - I very rarely read this one.
Micro Focus Cobol for Workbench v3.4 - This one I look at more often for older Cobol standards, as it goes back to the 70's.
Along with Micro Focus Cobol for DOS, Windows and OS/2 Pocket Guide issue 6 - April 93 ( 1976 - 1993 ) - I tend to use this to refresh my memory for older standard Cobol but refer to the GC PG for all later.
I also have the manuals (not that I read often):
For IBM 1401 about 50 pages and was my first teaching tool for Cobol programming which I read around 1963.
IBM 360/370 [GC28-6396-6] ANSI Cobol from MVS 3.8 and MVT and the small pocket Reference guide that is also in the back of the ANSI Cobol manual and can be copied or removed etc.
IBM 370++ Cobol OS/VS II circa 70's
There are a few more in the cupboard :)
Manuals for later IBM compilers are now very thin on the ground as they have moved to all docs being html and online, which I find a right pain in the ass and yes do not like them, as sometimes I wish to read them away from a computer and make use of the Index.
Must point out is that there are NO recent books on Cobol even for the Cobol standard circa 2000 or later. I am totally ignoring any on Structured Cobol or OOCobol as I know of only one compiler and thats lotofmoney (MF Visual Cobol) and so can't be bothered to learn it.
Thank you for the information and advice. There is a new COBOL series by a guy that seems to know nothing about COBOL, I got it for free on Kindle Unlimited and I learned from him several important things:
&
&
(no he is not talking about his book here by mistakes, it does not have 18 chapters.. etc...)
&
&
& ...
COBOL BASICS FOR BEGINNERS BY Andy Vickler
NO i am not kidding yall this is actually in his book... and it just gets more interesting from there....
In any case I would like to create a COBOL in print library, gather together all the old books I can, and also have digital copies as well. Even if it is GIGO...like Vicker's work. I think he probably just hired people from https://fiverr.com to write it for him lol.
Wow, just wow. Need to coin new phrases for that level of wrong.
Too bad Jean Sammet wasn't still around. Send her over to cuff that author upside the head. But she wouldn't do that. Maybe drop a few boxes of card decks on the floor and tell them they can't leave until they get all the cards in the proper order, and repunched on new stock.
Blue
ya I just could not believe how bad it was. The comments all say that too.
IBM have two COBOL manuals IBM COBOL for z-OS V4.2 Prog Guide.pdf and IBM COBOL for z-OS V4.2 Lang Ref.pdf. The Language Reference can be found at https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/SS6SG3_4.2.0/com.ibm.entcobol.doc_4.2/PGandLR/igy3lr50.pdf and Programming Guide can be found at https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/SS6SG3_4.2.0/com.ibm.entcobol.doc_4.2/PGandLR/igy3pg50.pdf The programming Guide is very IBM specific so it might not be any use to anyone but I included it for any former IBM programmers.
Thank you I will get those right now.