Eclipse project gains netCOBOL for Linux

The IBM-backed Eclipse open source project consolidated its presence on the Linux platform yesterday.

Fujitsu Software Corp announced availability of its NetCOBOL product for Linux, based on the open source application development tools framework.

NetCOBOL for Linux is available at an introductory price of $999 from the netcobol.com web site until August 31. Thereafter NetCOBOL for Linux will be priced $1,800 in the US.

IBM initially backed Eclipse in November 2001 as a workbench and framework to build Java-based tools, with IBM announcing support for Eclipse in WebSphere Studio.

In January 2002 Linux made it onto the Eclipse roadmap, though. IBM and Raleigh, North Carolina-based Red Hat Corp donated a common interface, source code editor and debugger to further the project.

IBM and Red Hat's move came as Scotts Valley, California-based Borland Software Corp announced its own, separate Linux plans with rapid application development (RAD) in C/C++ for Linux.

Fujitsu Software joined the Eclipse board in May, and has since proved an enthusiastic participant in driving the project's Linux agenda. The company said Eclipse would deliver leading edge features and allow other vendors to add complementary functionality.

San Jose, California-based Fujitsu Software said customer requests "mandated" NetCOBOL for Linux. "Linux has been long-praised for its stability - a feature that is also associated with NetCOBOL," the company's director of languages Ron Langer said in a statement.

The NetCOBOL offering builds on IBM and Red Hat's initial work, having been tested on the Intel x86 distribution of Red Hat Linux. Features includes an Eclipse-based integrated development environment (IDE) and integrated debugger with standard NetCOBOL features including object oriented COBOL extensions, embedded SQL, data file maintenance tools and NEtCOBOL APIs for creating CGI internet applications.

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