[This answer](https://retrocomputing.stackexchange.com/a/20223/22169) made me wonder:

Did COBOL also handle that other newbie mistake, allowing one to write

```
if a == 'orange' or 'apple' or 'banana'

```

instead of

```
if a == 'orange' or a == 'apple' or a == 'banana'

```

(or using some set membership operator if your favourite language has one)?