Skip to content

Teaching COBOL ought to be regarded as a criminal act.

“Teaching COBOL ought to be regarded as a criminal act.” quote by Edsger Dijkstra
Download Open image
“Teaching COBOL ought to be regarded as a criminal act.”

Edsger Dijkstra

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Teaching an outdated language is likened to a harmful act, emphasizing the need for modern, efficient programming practices.

In simple terms: Teaching old code is harmful; use modern languages.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize learning current technologies.

Themes

education technology efficiency obsolescence

Mood

critical pragmatic concerned

Type

advisory philosophical technical

When to use this quote

  • software development
  • university courses
  • career training
  • tech hiring
  • skill upgrading

Key Concepts

programming paradigms software engineering curriculum design

Questions to Reflect On

  • Should we preserve legacy knowledge?
  • How can we transition smoothly to new tech?
A Different Perspective

Legacy systems still dominate many industries, limiting progress.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Edsger Dijkstra

Explore all 103 Edsger Dijkstra quotes

More Cobol quotes

Browse all 9 Cobol quotes