What were normal protocols a year ago even are almost forgotten. Older Data Methods are becoming more and more difficult to maintain, while new systems pervade, their ease and flexibility is still for the future.
Cases in Point: FileMaker Pro and FoxPro. Two of the leaders going back to the 80's are either esoteric or moth balled. They do still, in general work (not that I have tried in Windows 7 to be honest). MySQL and variations like Postgre, MSSQL etc are the new standards... Theoretically systems like Crystal still tie these all together and let you at least organize the data. But being fast and fluent on the earlier systems does not bring much in terms of skills towards the new systems.
In other regards the new modus of Web Centric computing, balanced with a level of "smartphone" checkups is becoming the standard. Having an active Windows Client/ or Mac Client / or Linux Client are still the base stations from which to work, but that which is being worked upon is less and less actually on the desktop.
All for the good. Perhaps not a Whazup at all... But it is likely that the skills and knowledge of the old systems are often being lost. Perhaps it will not be important except for forensics.. still "how we got here" will be important to understand. How we go forward, in control of our data, likewise will also be important, and not always obvious.
Onward ho.
