Top Ten Soon-to-be-Obsolete IT Skills

IT professionals have always had to keep pace with technology, constantly updating their skills to match. While some skills, such as COBOL programming, have withstood the test of time, others are destined to obsolescence. Despite its 50 year run, even COBOL is at risk of becoming outdated. Surprised? The following list of soon-to-be-obsolete IT skills may be eye-opening.

1. COBOL Programming – For five decades, programmers have been using COBOL, one of the oldest computer languages. However, new and improved programming languages have pushed COBOL to the back shelf. Today, programmers with COBOL skills are largely used to support older applications written in COBOL. As businesses shed these older programs in favor of modern applications written in newer languages, COBOL programmers will have fewer opportunities to put their skills to work.

2. Typing – It's hard to imagine working with computers without typing, yet typing skills are quickly becoming obsolete as voice recognition, instant messaging, and texting become more widely used.

3. Email Messaging – Just as the popularity of instant messaging and texting is affecting typing, it's also affecting the use of email. In fact, email messaging is on the decline while other modes of communication such as texting, instant messaging, social media, and Web conferencing are on the rise.

4. PBX Systems – Traditional PBX systems and public switched telephone networks (PSTNs) are at risk of gradually being replaced. Modern communications packages do much more than route voice calls to a desktop telephone and many consumers are abandoning their landlines in favor of cell phones.

5. Software Installation/Support – When was the last time you purchased software on a disc? While software continues to be developed for local installations, the move toward the cloud continues and software as a service is rapidly becoming the new norm. Not only does this affect software installers, it also affects those who support software. Instead of applying patches and upgrades on the local computer, the software is patched and upgraded on the provider's end.

6. Hardware Support and Repair – Similarly, when was the last time you repaired a hardware component or peripheral device? With low prices and upgraded components, it's often cheaper and more desirable to replace damaged hardware and devices than it is to repair them.

7. IPX/SPX and Other Non-TCP/IP Networks – TCP/IP has always been the dominant Internet protocol, though IPX/SPX did have a short run. Today, TCP/IP continues to reign supreme.

8. Windows 2000, NT4, and Other Older Server Systems – Time takes its toll on older operating systems as companies replace them in favor of newer technologies such as Windows Server 2008. If you've been slow to embrace the new server operating systems, you may soon find that your Windows 2000 and NT4 skills are rarely needed.

9. IPv4 Subnetting – Though IPv6 has been in place in anticipation of IPv4 running out of addresses (which occurred on February 3, 2011), IPv4 subnetting skills continued to be needed. Now that the last IPv4 addresses have been assigned, IPv4 skills will be needed less often.

10. HTML Web Development – HTML programming itself isn't at risk so much as the HTML skills used in Web development. Thanks to the popularity of easy-to-use Web design programs, designing programs directly in HTML is quickly becoming a relic of the past.

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