It’s the early 1980s, and this pilot fish’s freshly minted bachelors degree in computer science has snagged him a job as a junior Cobol programmer for a textile manufacturer.

“The project was to convert an existing Basic system to a newfangled Cobol version,” says fish. “Data was copied into new mainframe-style VSAM files and the production reports were run. All we had to do was match them, line for line.”

Which sounds simple enough — but the project is soon in trouble. It’s not only behind schedule, but it has also become clear that some very strong Cobol skills are needed to get it back on track.

That’s when management brings in a high-priced consultant.

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