COBOL for Dummies? [With One/Cheatsheet]

If you never had any experience with COBOL, this book is the place to start. Although it doesn't give many full programs for you to see, it does help you understand the way the language works. As I said, this is a great book to start learning COBOL, and you can then go on to the other books to get deeper into the language. The only problem I encountered was the Fujitsu compiler is an expired version. I've been using COBOL since 1982 and this book is on my shelf.

from the first page i read, i thought "this is my salvation" i can actually understand what i'm reading and it makes a lot of sense!

As a former programmer in COBOL (along with other languages), and a physician writing his own patient information tracking software, I decided to return to COBOL for it's simple, yet powerful file handling capabilities. Not wanting to spend several hundreds or thousands of dollars for a compiler (or - gasp! - an interpreter), I performed a quick search of the Web and found a reference to "COBOL For DUMMIES". Had it not been for the enclosed CD, I probably would have passed this book by without giving it a second thought. However, having read the book and worked with the CD, I am convinced that this is absolutely the best programming deal around. The coverage of COBOL is not intensive enough for someone who wants to make the language dance and sing, but it's complete enough (and covers the history and arcane aspects of the language well) for the programmer who has forgotten how elegant COBOL can be, especially after working with numerous other languages.

COBOL language is explained accuratly and clearly. Best of all the Fujitsu PowerCobol product is included on the CD!