The top 10 dead (or dying) computer skills

[app103]

Those in search of eternal life need look no further than the computer industry. Here, last gasps are rarely taken, as aging systems crank away in back rooms across the U.S., not unlike 1970s reruns on Nickelodeon's TV Land. So while it may not be exactly easy for Novell NetWare engineers and OS/2 administrators to find employers who require their services, it's very difficult to declare these skills -- or any computer skill, really -- dead.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9020942

[Lashiec]

Cobol and C... this is still being taught here, and OMG, Cobol is awful for what I saw. I try not to get that particular subject next year. C, in the other hand... I have a C program pending, and I have to program it with VI!

I found curious that they mention C and not Assembler.

[Eóin]

Of course C is still hugely popular over in the opensource *nix world. But I definitely think the article is right that if all you've got is C on your resume you ain't going to be very employable.

[steeladept]

Cobol and C... this is still being taught here, and OMG, Cobol is awful for what I saw. I try not to get that particular subject next year. C, in the other hand... I have a C program pending, and I have to program it with VI!

I found curious that they mention C and not Assembler.

Don't forget, Assembler is frequently used, just not for applications.  It is more often used for low level programming of hardware.  At least from what my Computer Engineering friends keep telling me...

[app103]

I am about to learn C for the purpose of developing software for my pocket pc. I can't do it in Delphi. 

[pro3carp3]

Assembler will not go away as it is the foundation of all other languages.  In fact, interest in assembly programming is on the rise as indicated by the number of web sites devoted to it.

[wraith808]

I am about to learn C for the purpose of developing software for my pocket pc. I can't do it in Delphi. 

No, but you can do it in C#.  Why baseline C?  Does it even deploy to the Compact Framework?

[rjbull]

I am about to learn C for the purpose of developing software for my pocket pc. I can't do it in Delphi. 

You have other choices, like CASL, which claims to be like Basic, and will compile for both Palm and Pocket PC.  You might have more trouble finding libraries, though.

[Edit]
I just realised it's expensive...  $299 (but no runtime fees)
[/Edit]

[app103]

I am about to learn C for the purpose of developing software for my pocket pc. I can't do it in Delphi. 

No, but you can do it in C#.  Why baseline C?  Does it even deploy to the Compact Framework?

I have an old Jornada 540 with WinCE 3.0...c# is not an option...C and VB 6 are. (no, no, no..I will not work with VB 6 ever again, if I can help it!)

There are some things I want for my pocket pc that are not and have never been available. The only choice I have is to make it myself.

So now is as good a time as any to learn C. I am sure the knowledge won't go to waste once I have written what I need.

[Laughing Man]

I think the only thing I even know well is coldfusion..and that's because I had to work with it, last summer when I was working as an intern in the Society for Neuroscience's IT department.