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From: CVMJJR@VTVM2.BITNET (Jim Rooney)
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: MUMPS:  a dinosaur?
Message-ID: <8701231600.AA11486@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Fri, 23-Jan-87 09:31:07 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8701231600.AA11486
Posted: Fri Jan 23 09:31:07 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Jan-87 00:17:01 EST
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About MUMPS being a dinosaur:  yes it is true that MUMPS is unstructured, it
is even CASE SENSITIVE, not recognizing a variable such as 'user' when it
should be 'USER'.  However, in the hands of a good programmer, who believes
in structured programming and good documentation (including inline), MUMPS
can be a powerful RDBMS tool.  We use a version of MUMPS which (unknown to
the user) is compiled into "micro-code" when a routine is filed.  This greatly
speeds up an otherwise interpreted language.  If anyone would like to see
an example of MUMPS code, write me and I'll send it to you.

Also, there is a MUMPS discussion list on BITNET.  Send mail with the
following command to LISTSERV@UGA.BITNET:

    SUB MUMPS-L <userid@node.domain> <your name>

Now, enough of MUMPS bashing and praising, lets get back to VAX stuff...


Jim Rooney
Programmer, Computer Services
Virginia/Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine