How to Replace Pascal
Legacy programming refers to software that's both outdated and seemingly indispensable. It's written in older languages such as COBOL and Pascal, and runs vital programs on business mainframes. The Metaware company estimates corporations have 400 billion lines of legacy code in different languages incorporated into their operations. Legacy code is often outdated, isn't compatible with recent software such as Windows and is expensive to maintain. At the same time, it's so embedded in operations that replacing languages such as Pascal represents a major challenge for business.
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Instructions
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Inventory your legacy Pascal, identifying which of the applications you use employ it. Conduct a study of what effect the replacement will have on your business operations and draw up a continuity plan to keep your company operating during the transition. You should also decide if any applications are too useful to replace.
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Ask your IT staff if mission-critical Pascal applications can be hosted on your current computers. Rehosting doesn't get rid of the Pascal, but allows you to replace your aging mainframe while minimizing the effect of the change. This can be easier than replacing legacy applications but it requires your company retain programmers who can work with Pascal.
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Identify which Pascal applications you want to convert into a more modern language, such as Java. There are IT tools available for rewriting mainframe applications into modern languages, and for rewriting the application code itself. Rewriting the application is a bigger project and riskier, and it usually only happens when a corporation has an overwhelming business need for a modern application in a current computer language.
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Draw up a plan for making the transition, including whether you want to replace everything at once or transfer applications piece by piece. Consider what might go wrong and have a backup plan in place for those situations. Execute the plan, then check that the new applications work properly.
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Train your staff to adapt to any changes in procedure or IT operations resulting from the changeover. Depending on the scope of the change, you may need to provide ongoing mentoring for a while.
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