[open-cobol-list] optional ecosystem for OC, Second thoughts on Java etc

[Patrick]

The more I read about Cobol the fewer and fewer external libraries I 
really need, there is a lot built in.

However to interact with scientific instrumentation I am sure I will 
need some and my problems can be solved in multiple ways, better to do 
it in the most OC community friendly way.

There is already Cobol .net but like Bryan I am not crazy about closed 
source toolchains and it looks like mono has had serious setbacks 
recently. There is also the Glib world that can be used without GTK and 
QT libraries that can be used without a GUI.

There is boost from the plain C++ world and there is Java.

With Hitachi offering Java integration with there compiler Java seems 
like a good fit but Java worries me.

Larry Ellison sounds like a psychopath:
http://www.orafaq.com/node/1712

Java seems to have serious security flaws:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57563951-83/homeland-security-still-advises-disabling-java-even-after-update/

and Oracle is bundling in bloatware:
http://www.zdnet.com/if-you-need-java-use-this-one-instead-7000010157/

I am wondering what is the best ecosystem for the greater community? 
What are your needs?

-Patrick