Re: [open-cobol-list] Which formatting convention to use?

[John Culleton]

On Thursday 06 August 2009 06:48:26 pm David Essex wrote:
> Duke Normandin wrote:
> > David Essex wrote:
>  > ...
>  >
> >> You can use what format you prefer.
> >> The default is fixed format.
> >
> > ...
> > I was looking for educated opinions as to which would serve
> >
>  > a noob best both now and in the long-term. ;)
>
> Well if you looking for an opinion, I prefer the free format.
>
> Why you ask ...
>
> <rant>
>
> The fixed format became the standard at the request of I*M.
> The reason was that they wanted to be compatible with a punch
> card format dating back to the 18th century.
>
While punch card were used for control of looms back in the late 
18th century the Hollerith format we know in the computer world is 
an 1890 creation. And punch cards for programs and for control 
cards were still used in mainframe IBM shops quite late in the 
game.  Maybe they still are for control cards.

-- 
John Culleton
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