COBOL quote in the news

[Eric Smith]

Chuck Guzis wrote:
> "COBOL programmers are hard to come by these days," said Fred Forrer, 
> the Sacramento-based CEO of MGT of America, a public-sector 
> consulting firm. "It's certainly not a language that is taught. 
> Oftentimes, you have to rely on retired annuitants to come back and 
> help maintain the system until you're able to find a replacement."

It's not at all hard to find COBOL programmers, and they are NOT all 
retired.  Offer a decent salary, and you'll get them.  What the state is 
specifically trying to do, though is to cut everyone's salaries, so how 
likely is it that they'll offer a good salary to a COBOL programmer.

The real story is that it's a bunch of political posturing.