Max Böck

Any programmer tasked with doing this should set fire to their computer immediately.

It will save them and millions of other people from the worst fucking idea anyone has ever had in software development.

https://www.wired.com/story/doge-rebuild-social-security-administration-cobol-benefits/

DOGE Plans to Rebuild SSA Code Base in Months, Risking Benefits and System Collapse

Social Security systems contain tens of millions of lines of code written in COBOL, an archaic programming language. Safely rewriting that code would take years—DOGE wants it done in months.

WIRED
Mar 28, 2025 at 7:44pmWeb
Show threadCory Dransfeldt Mar 28, 2025
@mxbck But at least they'll get to use React.
Show threadThird spruce tree on the leftMar 28, 2025

@mxbck This is how I know the DOGE idiots aren't professional developers.

Yes, throwing 1.x out and rewriting 2.0 greenfield can - sometimes - be valid. But there are ways to do it. And doing it to a system that literally is life for millions - ugh. If they have any sense at all they migrate a few thousand "volunteers" to the new system for a few months, run both systems in parallel, work out bugs, expand to more users etc.

I have zero conf they do this, they're gonna go live with 8M ppl.

Show threadLarge Heydon ColliderMar 28, 2025
@mxbck Better dead
Show threadCurtis WilcoxMar 28, 2025
@mxbck
So add "memes" to the already long list of things DOGE minions are ignorant of.
Show threadrequiem 🦫Mar 29, 2025
@mxbck This is a deliberate effort to fail, and then blame it on someone else, when what they actually want is to destroy the government.