This is apparently written in MUMPS, a somewhat idiosyncratic language and platform used primarily in the healthcare industry. For more information on MUMPS, check out the Wikipedia article (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUMPS" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUMPS</a>) or a more critical view (<a href="http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/A_Case_of_the_MUMPS.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/A_Case_of_the_MUMPS.aspx</a>).<p>When I look at the code samples in the Wikipedia article, it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in me. Perhaps there are examples the are easier for me to grok. If there are genuinely useful technologies implemented in it (termed "heritage" versus "legacy" in the original post) it might be worth checking out. Nonetheless, I'm having a hard time seeing a case for introducing a platform like this into a system that's not encumbered by a legacy attachment to it.