"Things Have Moved On" – The Ageist Jab in Tech

I had a conversation recently that I can’t let slide.

Someone told me, “The tech world has moved on,” in response to my development workflow. They then proceeded to explain Git to me—like I’ve never heard of it.

Let’s get something straight: I’ve been in this industry for 40 years. I’ve worked with some of the biggest companies in the world. I’ve seen trends come and go, and I’ve also seen plenty of so-called “best practices” that weren’t always the best for every team.

Here’s what gets me:

🚫 “Things have moved on” is an ageist remark. It assumes that experience is outdated rather than valuable. It suggests that because something is newer, it must be better, and that older devs are somehow out of touch. That’s not just wrong—it’s insulting.

🚫 Not every tool fits every team. My team works efficiently without Git. We don’t need it, and we don’t want it. That’s not being "stuck in the past"—that’s choosing the best workflow for our needs.

🚫 Don’t assume older devs don’t understand new tech. I know Git. I also know when it introduces unnecessary complexity. Dismissing an experienced perspective just because it's different is how teams end up making bad decisions.

The arrogance of these assumptions is staggering. If you prefer a certain workflow, fine. But don’t act like others are behind the times just because they choose to do things differently.

👉 Experience isn’t a disadvantage—it’s an asset.
👉 Tech moves fast, but wisdom keeps it grounded.

I’m calling this out because ageism in tech is real. If someone disagrees with your approach, fine—debate it on its merits. But don’t assume that newer automatically means better, or that experienced developers are out of touch.

#TechIndustry #SoftwareDevelopment #ExperienceMatters #AgeismInTech