D. Richard Hipp on SQL replacing COBOL programmers
D. Richard Hipp, creator of SQLite, reflects on how SQL transformed data querying, replacing specialized COBOL programmers with a simpler specification language. He notes that programmers did not disappear but their roles evolved. The quote was collected by Simon Willison and posted on 29th July 2026.
Key facts
- SQL replaced the need for specialized COBOL programmers for data queries.
- SQL allows simple specifications to generate code previously written by expensive programmers.
- Programmers' jobs changed rather than disappeared.
- The quote is attributed to D. Richard Hipp.
- Collected by Simon Willison.
- Posted on 29th July 2026.
Entities
Artists
- D. Richard Hipp
Institutions
- Simon Willison