...
Here's an interesting problem.
Suppose you wanted to write an application for a
manufacturing process that will, in all probability, run for
the next 30 years. No direct control of the process itself
is entailed (i.e., you don't need the program to operation
valves or run motors), but you do need this program to
compute manufacturing parameters for each customer. I/O
requirements are very modest, mostly simple keyboard and display.
What would you write it in? Clearly, you'd want to be
independent of a particular software vendor, so the likes of
Visual BASIC isn't an option.
You'd also want to write in a language that isn't nearing
obsolescence, nor one that's still evolving. "Niche"
languages would be out of the question, as longevity could be
a problem.
So what would it be? My vote is for FORTRAN.
COBOL. I once wrote a spelling checker in COBOL. Call me crazy, but I was
making $10,000 a month in the mid '80s with that package. Unfortunately the
hardware vendor killed the product & I had to get an honest job.
Also, see this article "Is COBOL the 18-Wheeler of the Web?"
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1237807,00.asp
Gil