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From: jrc@ritcv.UUCP (James R Carbin)
Newsgroups: net.lang
Subject: If "MERRY XMAS" in COBOL is a must, then at least make it Structured
Message-ID: <804@ritcv.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 15-Nov-83 01:37:17 EST
Article-I.D.: ritcv.804
Posted: Tue Nov 15 01:37:17 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 17-Nov-83 01:15:10 EST
Lines: 34

If we must have a COBOL version of PRINT  "MERRY CHRISTMAS,"  let's at least
make it structured...... Here is one version of such a program.

        IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
        PROGRAM-ID.  MERRY-XMAS.

        ENVIRONMENT DIVISION.
        CONFIGURATION SECTION.
        SOURCE-COMPUTER. VAX11.
        OBJECT-COMPUTER. VAX11.

        DATA DIVISION.
        WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
        77  COUNTER-FOR-LOOP    PICTURE 9(2)   COMPUTATIONAL.

        PROCEDURE DIVISION.
        PRINT-CONTROL-LOOP.
            PERFORM  PRINT-IT  VARYING  COUNTER-FOR-LOOP
                FROM  1 BY  1 UNTIL  COUNTER-FOR-LOOP  >  15
            STOP RUN.
        PRINT-IT.
            DISPLAY  "MERRY CHRISTMAS".

Of course this code is *NOT* properly commented nor necessarily well written.
Isn't this an absurd number of lines of code just to accomplish such a simple
task?

p.s.    C is my most favorite programming language and PASAL my second. 

p.p.s.  I am a charter member of the Society to Help Stamp Out BASIC!

as ever,

j.r.           {allegra,seismo}!rochester!ritcv!jrc