[Hidden-tech] Rewriting SSA code in months - possible?

[Robert Heller]

Well, they could just re-compile the COBOL with the GnuCOBOL, which actually 
just translates COBOL to C and then compiles that with the GNUC compiler...

(Of course, from some points of view C is not partitularly "modern", not as 
"modern" as JAVA...)

At Fri, 28 Mar 2025 22:12:35 -0700 AI Zuckerman <valleywood2012 at gmail.com> wrote:

> 
> https://developers.slashdot.org/story/25/03/28/2148205/doge-to-rewrite-ssa-
> <https://developers.slashdot.org/story/25/03/28/2148205/doge-to-rewrite-ssa-codebase-in-months?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_mediumþed>
> codebase-in-months?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_mediumþed
> <https://developers.slashdot.org/story/25/03/28/2148205/doge-to-rewrite-ssa-codebase-in-months?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_mediumþed>
> Hi Hidden Techies,Here's one for coders on the list. A friend sent me a
> link to this article in Wired. Apparently, DOGE techies are claiming they
> can rewrite the SSA code in months. Wire reports that the SSA codebase has over
> 60 million lines of COBOL
> <https://oig.ssa.gov/congressional-testimony/2016-07-14-newsroom-congressional-testimony-july14-ssa-modernization/>
> and
> handles record keeping for all American workers and payments for all Social
> Security recipients. The aim is to migrate all  SSA systems off COBOL ...
> and onto a more modern replacement like Java within a scheduled tight
> timeframe of a few months," notes Wired.Some questions:Is it possible to
> handle this mammoth job in a month?What happens if the techies in DOGE make
> mistakes?Would SSA have a backup system of the COBOL code?
> Let all of us oldsters who depend on our SSA benefits keep them safe. If
> any people can do this, I know either you can or know someone who can.
> Please post your thoughts to the list.If you want to chat with me about
> this situation then call me at 413-362-4392. thanks!
> Amy ZuckermanHIDDEN TECH mother emeritus
> I
> 
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