worst programming language

[Sameer Jamal]

Hi friends what do u think which is the worst programming language ?
options are Java , c#, VB, c, c++, cobol or pascal

[Dharmesh Chheda]

Hey sameer ?.. how dare you mention JAVA as an option in the worst programming language list?.. and that too on javaranch site?.. hey sheriffs you there?... do you see this?... hehehe
joking man..
well java is bread for me so i am not considering it ....i vote for c#.. cause anything which stands against java is worst for me .... and also that its a microsoft product

[Anonymous]

As all of you know - C++ is always#1,not just bad,not even worst, but I'd say THE WORST++!

[Andy Rodriguez]

Whats the worst language to sing a song in ? eh

[Jamie Robertson]

I think each language has its niche. You can't blanket statement any language as being the worst, because they all have their strengths and weaknesses. You have to look at it on a project by project basis to decide which language is best(and worst I guess) to solve the task at hand.
Jamie

[Michael Ernest]

The worst language for what? Memory requirements, syntax and semantics, efficiency, flexibility, extensibility, OO implementation?
Hard to imagine a "worst in all categories" for any language in wide use.

[David O'Meara]

Reminds me of this link: The Language Shootout
Dave

[Jim Baiter]

Obviously ml is the worst because it is used regardless but noone wants to code it directly thus use higher level languages.

[Sameer Jamal]

Originally posted by Michael Ernest:
The worst language for what? Memory requirements, syntax and semantics, efficiency, flexibility, extensibility, OO implementation?
Hard to imagine a "worst in all categories" for any language in wide use.

Any reason , whether u dont like its syntax, semantics or because of it u r not able to earn ur bread and butter or because u r learning it from last 1 year and u r still not able to get it.

[erich brant]

Cobol and C++ Suck!
It took 18 years for C++ to become a standard! 18 years!
In 1970's (Classes were invented for a C lang. non-standard version )
As John Carmack said "Design by committee does not work."
John Carmack is the Lead Programmer for games as DOOM, DOOM2, QUAKE, QUAKE2, QUAKE 3 ARENA, AND COMMING SOON NEW DOOM
www.idsoftware.com

Post by www.firewallfortress.com

[Sameer Jamal]

for me worst is Java because I have done all the hard work for 2 years to learn it, and still I am not able to get a job in Java I am still working on Visual Basic which is now my favorite language

[Ashik Uzzaman]

I would vote for VB due to the reason said by Dharmesh. But the main fact behind will be that VB made some users say that they r programmers... ...is it so easy programming a computer?...

------------------
Muhammad Ashikuzzaman (Fahim)
Sun Certified Programmer for the Java� 2 Platform
--When you learn something, learn it by heart!

[Michael Ernest]

Elegance and usability are my hallmarks. I know it's only an API, but MFC has got to be the most intractable pile of hacks I've ever seen. Even working with Galaxy was easier.

[Gregg Bolinger]

SWING is not JAVA, MFC is not C++ and Visual Basic shouldn't even be considered a programming language.
But the absolute worst language in my opinion has to be C#. And the only reason I say that, is because I honestly don't see the need for it. At least not in the real world. It will probably be good for people who work at MS though.
------------------
Happy Coding,
Gregg Bolinger

[Dave Vick]

Originally posted by Michael Ernest:
... MFC has got to be the most intractable pile of hacks I've ever seen.

I'm taking a GUI class in school right now using the MFC and as far as I'm concerned the MFC is an abomination. Part of it might be the fact that the first teacher I had for C++ sucked and I hated the class and this new teacher I dont like much either, so I've been pretty much turned off of C++ all together.
I tried to teach myself a little VB too, but it seems too much like pushing icons around to be a real programming language.
Just my $.02
Dave

[erich brant]

Swing is components (Beans) in Java, MFC is a hack job,
VB is a prototyping language, C sharp is a Java Clone!
just my 2 cents
www.firewallfortress.com

[John Arndt]

I'm with u Dharmesh, cuff him 'n book him ! Here's my question to 'yall, If your employer has agreed to pay for Sun's Java Cert. Would you take it our push for training in another language, so to speak. I do however see Java as a great and not -that- difficult to learn. I say this as I know a real d... Naw, seriously, which would you folks choose ?

[frank davis]

I'd like to expand the categories of worst languages a little to include IBM's RPG which is used extensively on the otherwise excellent AS/400 or iSeries. It still has requirements that certain commands/specications go in certain areas, i.e. required to be in certain columns (like COBOL's column A and B except worse).

[Daniel Dunleavy]

Herb,
Yeah, I was thinking of posting that, but it was created as a quicky reporting language. It was just so many companies were soooo cheap, they wouldn't get anything else because it came free with the machine. So they were really misusing the product.
I started learning RPG in mid 80's. You had to make sure each thing was in a certain column. Column ## is a switch, etc. But when I got to about page 50 and it said certain fields were left justified and some were right, that was the end. Just one step above a keypunch machine which is really where all that column stuff comes from.
Dan

[James Swan]

I agree completely with Herb and Daniel.
I studied Java/C/Pascal etc while at University, but my first job I landed after graduating was coding in RPG, it got slightly better when the company moved towards using RPG IV (slightly).
Nasty stuff in RPG like, every variable is of global scope, display file programmming, modifying indicators with move array (but then this just comes down to bad coding practice), antiquated operators for addition/subtraction that make you think you are coding in assembly language or something.
But there is a lot of successful software out there that runs on the iseries, written in RPG.
I aggree, as a reliable server platform, iseries rocks.

[James Swan]

For those of you that have never seen RPG before, enjoy:

 __________________________________________________________________________________________________
|                                                                                                  |
|         *****************************************************************                        |
|         *  PROGRAM NAME:  CUSMNT                                        *                        |
|         * RELATED FILES:  CUSMSTL1 (LF)                                 *                        |
|         *                 MNTMENU  (DSPF)                               *                        |
|         *   DESCRIPTION:  THIS PROGRAM SHOWS A CUSTOMER MASTER          *                        |
|         *                 MAINTENANCE PROGRAM USING A WORKSTN FILE.     *                        |
|         *                 THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS THE USER TO ADD, UPDATE,  *                        |
|         *                 DELETE AND DISPLAY CUSTOMER RECORDS.          *                        |
|         *                 PF3 IS USED TO QUIT THE PROGRAM.              *                        |
|         *****************************************************************                        |
|        FCUSMSTL1  UF A E           K DISK                                                        |
|        FMNTMENU   CF   E             WORKSTN                                                     |
|                                                                                                  |
|        C     CSTKEY        KLIST                                                                 |
|        C                   KFLD                    CUST                                          |
|                                                                                                  |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|         *       MAINLINE                                                   *                     |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|                                                                                                  |
|        C                   MOVE      'DISPLAY '    MODE                                          |
|        C                   EXFMT     HDRSCN                                                      |
|        C*                                                                                        |
|        C                   DOW       NOT *IN03                                                   |
|        C                   EXSR      SETMOD                                                      |
|        C*                                                                                        |
|        C     CUST          IFNE      *ZERO                                                       |
|        C     MODE          CASEQ     'ADD'         ADDSUB                                        |
|        C     MODE          CASEQ     'UPDATE'      UPDSUB                                        |
|        C     MODE          CASEQ     'DELETE'      DELSUB                                        |
|        C     MODE          CASEQ     'DISPLAY'     INQSUB                                        |
|        C                   ENDCS                                                                 |
|        C                   ENDIF                                                                 |
|        C*                                                                                        |
|        C                   EXFMT     HDRSCN                                                      |
|        C                   ENDDO                                                                 |
|        C                   MOVE      *ON           *INLR                                         |
|                                                                                                  |
|                                                                                                  |
|                                                                                                  |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|         *    SUBROUTINE - ADDSUB                                           *                     |
|         *    PURPOSE    - ADD NEW CUSTOMER TO FILE                         *                     |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|        C     ADDSUB        BEGSR                                                                 |
|        C     CSTKEY        CHAIN     CMLREC1                            50                       |
|        C                   IF        NOT *IN50                                                   |
|        C                   MOVE      *ON           *IN51                                         |
|        C                   ELSE                                                                  |
|        C                   MOVE      *OFF          *IN51                                         |
|        C                   MOVE      *BLANK        NAME                                          |
|        C                   MOVE      *BLANK        ADDR1                                         |
|        C                   MOVE      *BLANK        ADDR2                                         |
|        C                   MOVE      *BLANK        CITY                                          |
|        C                   MOVE      *BLANK        STATE                                         |
|        C                   Z-ADD     *ZERO         ZIP                                           |
|        C                   EXFMT     CSTBLD                                                      |
|        C                   IF        NOT *IN12                                                   |
|        C                   WRITE     CMLREC1                                                     |
|        C                   ENDIF                                                                 |
|        C                   ENDIF                                                                 |
|        C                   ENDSR                                                                 |
|                                                                                                  |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|         *    SUBROUTINE - UPDSUB                                           *                     |
|         *    PURPOSE    - UPDATE CUSTOMER MASTER RECORD                    *                     |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|                                                                                                  |
|        C     UPDSUB        BEGSR                                                                 |
|        C                   MOVE      *OFF          *IN04                                         |
|        C     CSTKEY        CHAIN     CMLREC1                            52                       |
|        C                   IF        NOT *IN52                                                   |
|        C                   EXFMT     CSTINQ                                                      |
|        C                   IF        NOT *IN12                                                   |
|        C                   UPDATE    CUSMSTL1                                                    |
|        C                   ELSE                                                                  |
|        C                   UNLOCK    CUSMSTL1                                                    |
|        C                   ENDIF                                                                 |
|        C                   ENDIF                                                                 |
|        C                   ENDSR                                                                 |
|                                                                                                  |
|                                                                                                  |
|                                                                                                  |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|         *    SUBROUTINE - DELSUB                                           *                     |
|         *    PURPOSE    - DELETE CUSTOMER MASTER RECORD                    *                     |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|        C     DELSUB        BEGSR                                                                 |
|        C                   MOVE      *ON           *IN04                                         |
|        C     CSTKEY        CHAIN     CMLREC1                            52                       |
|        C                   IF        NOT *IN52                                                   |
|        C                   EXFMT     CSTINQ                                                      |
|        C                   IF        NOT *IN12                                                   |
|        C                   DELETE    CMLREC1                                                     |
|        C                   ELSE                                                                  |
|        C                   UNLOCK    CUSMSTL1                                                    |
|        C                   ENDIF                                                                 |
|        C                   ENDIF                                                                 |
|        C                   ENDSR                                                                 |
|                                                                                                  |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|         *    SUBROUTINE - INQSUB                                           *                     |
|         *    PURPOSE    - DISPLAY CUSTOMER MASTER RECORD                   *                     |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|                                                                                                  |
|        C     INQSUB        BEGSR                                                                 |
|        C                   MOVE      *ON           *IN04                                         |
|        C     CSTKEY        CHAIN     CMLREC1                            52                       |
|        C                   IF        NOT *IN52                                                   |
|        C                   EXFMT     CSTINQ                                                      |
|        C                   UNLOCK    CUSMSTL1                                                    |
|        C                   ENDIF                                                                 |
|        C                   ENDSR                                                                 |
|                                                                                                  |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|         *    SUBROUTINE - SETMOD                                           *                     |
|         *    PURPOSE    - SET MAINTENANCE MODE                             *                     |
|         ********************************************************************                     |
|                                                                                                  |
|        C     SETMOD        BEGSR                                                                 |
|        C                   SELECT                                                                |
|        C                   WHEN      *IN05                                                       |
|        C                   MOVE      'ADD     '    MODE                                          |
|        C                   WHEN      *IN06                                                       |
|        C                   MOVE      'UPDATE  '    MODE                                          |
|        C                   WHEN      *IN07                                                       |
|        C                   MOVE      'DELETE  '    MODE                                          |
|        C                   WHEN      *IN08                                                       |
|        C                   MOVE      'DISPLAY '    MODE                                          |
|        C                   ENDSL                                                                 |
|        C*                                                                                        |
|        C                   MOVE      MODE          MODE1                                         |
|        C                   ENDSR                                                                 |
|                                                                                                  |
|                                                                                                  |
|__________________________________________________________________________________________________|

[Jamie Robertson]

I actually enjoyed working with RPG/400. It was simple but powerful. It never crashed and always did what it was told! unlike VB
I miss the old green screens.
Jamie

[James Swan]

Ok, a bit off topic, but the worst piece of code I have ever seen (written by a large commercial software company,I won't mention it's name , but it writes ERP systems for the iseries ), was written in that lovely programming language RPG (see above).
It was an order entry program that had over 30,000 lines of code (I am not making this up), it was just one large mess.
The program itself took over an hour to compile, and it took me about 2 weeks just to figure out where my modifications were supposed to go.
The ERP system had at least 5 program that were greater than 25,000 lines of code (I guess they had never heard of breaking up the program into smaller modules).

[Sameer Jamal]

What about CL in OS/400 i think it is similar to RPG/400

[frank davis]

CL is more like a scripting language, or like the Job Control Language on mainframes rather that a programming language. For instance, it has no looping structures and you can't even write records to a file.
OK, to be fair to RPG, with its very latest releases it has evolved away from the strict columnar format. But here's the orignal nightmare : There was no indentation possible originally and worse yet many programmers would make the whole program one giant DO WHILE loop with nested loops and nested IFs. Try reading that without any indentation!! God I hope my past work on maintaining those programs counts in some way to mitigate my sins in this life and my past ones.

[sinatra roger]

A bit too late to post here. But still giving a go. Dear Folks, below is a piece of modern RPG code:

 // *************************************************************************** \\
      //  C a l c u l a t i o n   S p e c s                                          \\
      // *************************************************************************** \\
        //     M a i n l i n e    \\
      /Free

        //Execute only if there are rules...
          If (RulesExist = 1);
            Exsr BuildWhere;
            Exsr UpdateSP002F;
            Exsr ObsoleteItem;
            //Set Last run data area to current date...
            LastRun = BatchDt;
          EndIf;

          *InLR = *On;
          Return;

      // ************************************************************************* \\
      // BuildWhere -  Subroutine to Build Where String of SQL                     \\
      // ========================================================================= \\
          Begsr BuildWhere;

            //Declare cursor for the Rulestable...
            Exec SQL DECLARE RULCRS CURSOR FOR SELECT TRIM(SP1FLD),
            TRIM(SP1CND),TRIM(SP1POS),TRIM(SP1VAL) FROM SP001F;

            Exec SQL OPEN RULCRS;

            //If error in preparing Rules cursor, dump and exit...
            If (SQLCod <> *Zeros);
              Exsr *PSSR;
            EndIf;

            //If no errors so far, build the SQL statement...
            Exec SQL FETCH RULCRS INTO :FIELD, :CONDITION,:POSITION,
            :VALUE;

            WhereStmt = WhereStmt + '(';

            //Loop through all the rule sets..
            DoW ((SQLCod = *Zeros) and (RulIndex <= MaxRul));

              Exec SQL SELECT MAX(SP1SEQNO) INTO :MAXSEQ FROM SP001F
              WHERE SP1RULN = :RULINDEX ;
              WhereStmt = WhereStmt + '(';

              //Loop through all sequences of current rule set...
              DoW ((SeqIndex <= MaxSeq) and (SQLCod = *Zeros));

                //To check single char at particular position, use SUBSTR...
                If (Position <> '');
                  Field = 'SUBSTR('+Field+','+Position+','+'1'+')';
                EndIf;

                If (Condition = 'IN');
                  WhereStmt = WhereStmt + ' ' + field + ' ' + condition + ' ' +
                  Value;
                Else;
                  WhereStmt = WhereStmt + ' ' + field + ' ' + condition + ' ' +
                  APOS + Value + APOS;
                EndIf;

                //If not last sequence of current rule, concat AND...
                If (SeqIndex < MaxSeq);
                  WhereStmt = WhereStmt + ' AND ';
                EndIf;

                Exec SQL FETCH NEXT FROM RULCRS INTO :FIELD, :CONDITION,
                :POSITION, :VALUE ;
                SeqIndex = SeqIndex + 1;

              EndDo;

              If ((SQLCod <> *Zeros) and (%Abs(SQLCod) <> 100));
                Exsr *PSSR;
              EndIf;

              SeqIndex = 1;

              //If not last rule, concat OR...
              If (RulIndex < MaxRul);
                WhereStmt = WhereStmt + ') OR '  ;
              Else;
                WhereStmt = WhereStmt + ')' ;
              EndIf;

              //Go to next rule set...
              RulIndex = RulIndex + 1;
            EndDo;

             If ((SQLCod <> *Zeros) and (%Abs(SQLCod) <> 100));
               Exsr *PSSR;
             EndIf;

           WhereStmt = WhereStmt + ')';

           Exsr CloseSql;

           Endsr;

      // ************************************************************************* \\
      // UpdateSP002F - Subroutine to Populate/update SP002F                       \\
      // ========================================================================= \\
         Begsr UpdateSP002F;

           //Statement to insert into Temp file eligilble items...
           FullSqlStmt = 'INSERT INTO QTEMP/SP002FW(SP2STID,SP2ITNUM,+
           SP2ITMRV) SELECT STID,ITNBR,ITRV FROM ITMRVA WHERE (' +
           WHERESTMT + ' AND ((CRDT > ?) OR (CHDE > ?)))' ;

           //Flag not to run as host variables present...
           RunSql = 0;
           Exsr SQLExec;

           //Insert eligible items created/changed after last run...
           Exec SQL EXECUTE EXECSQL USING :LASTRUN,:LASTRUN;
           If ((SQLCod <> *Zeros) and (%Abs(SQLCod) <> 100));
             Exsr *PSSR;
           EndIf;

           //Insert new items into SP002F if not present,else update if not shippable...
           EXEC SQL MERGE INTO SP002F SP2 USING QTEMP/SP002FW WSP2
           ON  WSP2.SP2STID  = SP2.SP2STID
           AND WSP2.SP2ITNUM = SP2.SP2ITNUM
           AND WSP2.SP2ITMRV = SP2.SP2ITMRV
           WHEN NOT MATCHED THEN
           INSERT(SP2STID,SP2ITNUM,SP2ITMRV,SP2SHIPF,
           SP2FTITM,SP2CRTUS,SP2CRPGM)
           VALUES(WSP2.SP2STID,WSP2.SP2ITNUM,WSP2.SP2ITMRV,'Y',
           'Y',:USER_ID,:PGM_NAME)
           WHEN MATCHED AND SP2.SP2SHIPF = ' '  THEN
           UPDATE SET SP2SHIPF = 'Y', SP2FTITM = 'Y',
           SP2OBSDT= NULL,SP2CHPGM = :PGM_NAME,
           SP2CHUSR=:USER_ID;

           If ((SQLCod <> *Zeros) and (SQLCod <> %Abs(100)));
             Exsr *PSSR;
           EndIf;

         Endsr;

      // ************************************************************************* \\
      // SQLExec - Subroutine to prepare and execute SQL statements                \\
      // ========================================================================= \\
         Begsr SQLExec;

           //Prepare SQL Statement from String...
           Exec SQL PREPARE EXECSQL FROM :FULLSQLSTMT;

           If (SQLCod <> *Zeros);
             Exsr *PSSR;
           EndIF;

           //If flagged to execute, execute SQL...
           If (RunSql = 1);
             Exec SQL EXECUTE EXECSQL;
           EndIf;

           If ((SQLCod <> *Zeros) and (%Abs(SQLCod) <> 100));
             Exsr *PSSR;
           EndIF;

         Endsr;

      // ************************************************************************* \\
      //   CloseSQL subproutine closes the cursor and everything                   \\
      // ========================================================================= \\
         Begsr CloseSQL;

           Exec SQL Close RulCrs;
           If  SQLCod > *Zeros;
             //Set flag to indicate control transferred from CloseSql SR...
             CloseSqlf = 1;
             Exsr *PSSR;
           EndIf;
         Endsr;

      // ************************************************************************* \\
      // ObsoleteItem - Subroutine to Identify and update Obsolete items           \\
      // ========================================================================= \\
         Begsr ObsoleteItem;

           Command = 'CLRPFM FILE(QTEMP/SP002FW)';
           ReturnCode = RunCmd(Command);

           //Retrieve all eligible items without date constraints...
           FullSqlStmt = 'INSERT INTO SP002FW(SP2STID,SP2ITNUM,+
           SP2ITMRV) SELECT STID,ITNBR,ITRV +
           FROM ITMRVA WHERE '+ %Trim(WhereStmt);

           //Set flag to execute the SQL...
           RunSql = 1;
           Exsr SQLExec;

           //Mark as Obsolete whatever currently shippable but not in rules list...
           EXEC SQL UPDATE SP002F SP2 SET SP2OBSDT = CURRENT DATE,SP2SHIPF = '',
           SP2CHUSR = :USER_ID,SP2CHPGM = :PGM_NAME
           WHERE NOT EXISTS
           (SELECT * FROM SP002FW SP2W WHERE
           SP2W.SP2STID  = SP2.SP2STID  AND
           SP2W.SP2ITNUM = SP2.SP2ITNUM AND
           SP2W.SP2ITMRV = SP2.SP2ITMRV) AND SP2SHIPF = 'Y' ;

           If ((SQLCod <> *Zeros) and (%Abs(Sqlcode) <> 100));
             Exsr *PSSR;
           EndIF;

         Endsr;

      // ************************************************************************* \\
      // *PSSR - Program Exception Error Handling                                  \\
      // ========================================================================= \\
         Begsr *PSSR;

          //- If 1st Error, Dump Program and call UT030C (Generic Error Handler)
              If  (First_Err = ' ');
                First_Err = 'N';

          //- Route QPPGMDMP to out queue ERRORS, before Dumping Program
                P_Cmd = 'OVRPRTF QPPGMDMP OUTQ(QGPL/ERRORS) +
                USRDTA(' + ModuleName + ')';
                ReturnCode = RunCmd(P_Cmd);

                //Close cursor if not coming from Close SqlSubroutine...
                If (CloseSqlf <> 1);
                  Exec SQL CLOSE RULCRS;
                EndIf;

          //- Dump this program
                DUMP(A);                                                     //-Dump Program

          //- Call UT030C (Generic Error Handler)
          //- Make sure to review if critical flag is set correctly
                 Critical_Err = '1';
                 CallP(E)  UT030C (ModuleName: Critical_Err: Reply);          //-Generic Err Handler
               Endif;

           //- Close File(s) and Exit Program
               *InLR = *On;
               Return;

             Endsr;

      // ************************************************************************* \\
      //  *INZSR- Initialize subroutine                                            \\
      // ========================================================================= \\
           Begsr *INZSR;

             //Delete Temp Work file if exists...
              Command = 'DLTF QTEMP/SP002FW';
              ReturnCode = RunCmd(Command);

             //Create Temporary Intermediate file for SP002F...
              Exec SQL CREATE TABLE QTEMP/SP002FW AS (SELECT SP2STID,
              SP2ITNUM,SP2ITMRV FROM SP002F) WITH NO DATA;

             // Insert total number of rules into MAXRUL to be used in BuildWhere...
             Exec SQL SELECT MAX(SP1RULN) INTO :MAXRUL FROM SP001F;

             // Set flag if there are any rules...
             If (Maxrul <> 0);
                RulesExist = 1;
             EndIf;

             //Retrieve today's date to store in Data area...
             BatchDt = %DEC(%CHAR(%DATE():*CYMD0):7:0);

           Endsr;

      // ************************************************************************* \\
      //  NeverRun - Never run this procedure just here for the user opens         \\
      // ========================================================================= \\

           Begsr NeverRun;

             //- Open the File(s)
             Open  ITMRVA;
             Open  SP001F;
             Open  SP002F;
            //- Close the File(s)
             Close ITMRVA;
             Close SP001F;
             Close SP002F;
           Endsr;

      /End-Free

[sonai kale]

Programming languages like Python and Ruby run slower than a compiled language like C++, but don't make our list because language performance is irrelevant with the hardware we have today. Nothing has stopped Python and Ruby from being widely used, because in the end it is not the code execution time, but the end-user experience that matters.

[Jan de Boer]

Sixteen year old thread? I would not even imagined that C# is already 16 years old. So in the US it can now drive a car, right?

[Paul Clapham]

I suppose so, but I haven't heard of Microsoft getting involved in the self-driving car business.

(googles...)

Oh! Microsoft and the Chinese search company Baidu have teamed up to do that. C# and a Chinese search engine... what could possibly go wrong? Well, hopefully it will drive better than the average 16-year-old.

[Campbell Ritchie]

Paul Clapham wrote:. . . drive better than the average 16-year-old.

That's no great achievement.

[Paul Clapham]

Campbell Ritchie wrote:

Paul Clapham wrote:. . . drive better than the average 16-year-old.

That's no great achievement.

Precisely. I still remember myself as a 16-year-old driver.

[Peter Rooke]

I'm happy to say I managed to avoid mainframes and RPG / COBOL and the like. 

Started with Pascal then moved into C on Unix.

However, I found references to it Code Grinder;

code grinder: n.
1. A suit-wearing minion of the sort hired in legion strength by banks and insurance companies to implement payroll packages in RPG and other such unspeakable horrors. In its native habitat, the code grinder often removes the suit jacket to reveal an underplumage consisting of button-down shirt (starch optional) and a tie. In times of dire stress, the sleeves (if long) may be rolled up and the tie loosened about half an inch. It seldom helps. The code grinder's milieu is about as far from hackerdom as one can get and still touch a computer; the term connotes pity. See Real World, suit.

2. Used of or to a hacker, a really serious slur on the person's creative ability; connotes a design style characterized by primitive technique, rule-boundedness, brute force, and utter lack of imagination.

[Campbell Ritchie]

What lovely definitions

[Peter Rooke]

Have to say, my worst project went something like this;

Using a BASIC derivative language called KCML with the following features/project standards;

- Line numbers and lots of GOTO's and some GOSUBs.
- Global variables with cryptic short meaningless letters (q1$,q2$,q3$ etc)
- Functions, when used, were given numbers as names.  Of course, they altered global variables.  Values to be returned we concatenated together as strings and returned as one nasty global variable.
- No comments, comments slowed down execution time as it was an interpreted language.
- Data was stored on the disk platters in hexadecimal format.

Never did find out about those platters, since I left after two weeks.

Tried to forget it had ever happened.

Oh and this; How To Write Unmaintainable Code

[Peter Rooke]

[Ripped off from here --> How to build a horse..

[Campbell Ritchie]

Hahahahahahahahaha!

[Phil Niksen]

I don't like Perl syntax and I can see why anyone would prefer to learn Perl over Python or even Ruby other than the cult status.

[Randall Twede]

Cobol was the worst programming language in my opinion.