Why do programmers get outdated over time?

Many years ago I was subcontracted by a developer to do some data processing work for a financial institution. He was a Computer Science graduate. I openly wondered to him why he was unable to do this work.

He said that since he left University he has not picked up a book.

That’s why programmers, doctors, lawyers, architects, and almost every profession gets outdated.

People stop learning. It’s nothing unique to programming.

To stay current, here are some tips…

1. Keep updated with the latest versions and features of the tools you use every day
2. Learn a new computer language every couple of years.
3. Read about new technologies.
4. Try out new technologies in small projects.
5. Experiment with new tools and libraries.
6. Write about your experiments.