condolences to the writer on his grandads passing.

It is a bit of a reality check when words like 'grandpa' are linked to an article from 1992! My brain is expecting the article to be from the 60's, 70's... or possibly 80's.

My world view, it is hard to image a child born in 2000 is 24 years old now. Their grandparents could be as old as I if they had children (and their children) at a young age.

Then I read at the end he was 91 when he passed. He did well! Likely around my Grandads age - and managed to last an extra 24 years on this planet!

I remember reading a book on COBOL in my younger days learning to program, alongside BASIC, C, and Pascal. I might still have it. Despite reading and never coding in it, I have been (fortunate, I guess) to have never programmed in it.

I do agree with the writer that using the word "dead" in the programming language world is unrealistic. Some would argue that there are popular, modern languages out there as being "dead" - but they might get a huge push for one reason or another in the future. Could COBOL find a new, niche spot.

Maybe.