When software gets old and cranky: why outdated apps deserve a retirement plan
Ageing - ugh, it’s inevitable, isn’t it? Whether it’s creaky joints or software slowly losing its mind, we’ve all been there. Software ages just like we do, getting more fragile, losing its flexibility, and eventually struggling to keep up with modern demands. In this post, we’ll explore how outdated software faces physical decline, sensory problems (can’t handle new data formats), and cognitive breakdowns (hello, bugs and crashes). But don’t despair! We’ll wrap up by suggesting how businesses can confront these ageing issues before they become a real pain in the…code.
Bones Shrink and Become Fragile
My research for this post reminded me of some unfortunate side effects as well as introduced me to some I didn’t know. Great, so my bones will shrink and become fragile, I knew about them becoming fragile, but shrinking? However, as a metaphor for software, I think this one nails it. Outdated software’s core infrastructure weakens over time and legacy code becomes difficult to maintain or update. As a dev based in the front-end/design area of application development there are two particular libraries I’m going to extend the metaphor with (don’t worry it will be just like HS2, extended badly) that’s jQuery and Flash. Both had an extraordinary footprint, Flash was a proprietary plug-in that was installed on 99% of worldwide computers with jQuery at its peak used on 70% of websites. Two quite different stories but alike in dignity - only kidding Shakespeare buffs - but alike in being past it.
Muscles Lose Strength, Flexibility, and Endurance
Widely adopted in the 2000s, jQuery simplified JavaScript for cross-browser compatibility. Today, modern JavaScript frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular have largely replaced it, reducing jQuery’s presence to around 15% of websites. While jQuery was a game-changer in the early days, it eventually fell out of favour for several reasons. jQuery encourages direct manipulation of the Document Object Model (DOM), which, while useful for small projects, can become inefficient and messy in large-scale applications. Excessive DOM manipulation leads to DOM thrashing, where the browser is constantly recalculating layout and style, slowing performance. Unlike modern frameworks like React, jQuery lacks a structured, reusable, component-based architecture, which results in tangled, hard-to-maintain code over time as applications scale. In jQuery, updating the DOM after data changes is manual and prone to errors, you have to manually select elements and update their properties, which is time-consuming and not scalable for dynamic, data-driven applications.
Using jQuery is like watching an elderly relative stubbornly stick to their old ways “Why use this fancy new React stuff when I’ve got my trusty ol’ DOM manipulator right here?” It’s like they’re still using a typewriter when everyone else has moved on to sleek, modern laptops. Sure, it works, but it’s not the most efficient, and they’ll give you a suspicious look if you even mention something like component-based architecture or virtual DOM. “What’s wrong with good ol’ direct manipulation?” In a way, software like jQuery loses its ability to adapt to the new ways of the world.
Sensory Impairment in Elderly Software
Conflict of interest warning - I used to be a Flash Developer!
Adobe Flash, once a pioneer in web interactivity, eventually became the tech equivalent of squinting at a blurry screen. It suffered from security vulnerabilities, becoming a prime target for hackers. Performance issues also plagued it, causing high CPU usage, particularly on mobile devices. Enter Steve Jobs, who famously condemned Flash for being inefficient and insecure, banning it from Apple’s ecosystem. Finally, the rise of the App Store and the adoption of HTML5 rendered Flash obsolete, like an old application struggling to keep up with modern sensory inputs — no longer able to see the new digital landscape clearly.
Unlike jQuery, Adobe Flash’s ActionScript was a well-structured, component-based language that allowed for reusable code, making it more sophisticated for developing interactive content. It wasn’t Flash’s architecture that led to its downfall — on the contrary, ActionScript provided a solid foundation for building complex web applications. The issue lay in Flash’s security vulnerabilities, performance bottlenecks, and incompatibility with modern mobile platforms. Flash’s ageing wasn’t about poor structure like jQuery; it was more about being unsuited for the evolving web landscape and lacking the adaptability needed to stay relevant. Flex, Flash’s more structured sibling, utilised MXML, an XML-based language for defining user interfaces, much like how React uses JSX to combine JavaScript and HTML-like syntax. This allowed developers to create component-based, reusable layouts efficiently, with a declarative approach to UI, making Flex ahead of its time in terms of architectural design, though it still struggled with the performance and security issues that plagued Flash.
Flash was once the cool kid who could see and hear everything on the web, but as time passed, it got old, losing its sight and hearing — missing out on the mobile revolution, security trends, and modern web standards. Both developers and browsers moved on, leaving Flash like an ageing rockstar still trying to play the hits while the crowd had already gone home.
Funny not Funny
While this post has taken a humorous approach, it’s essential to recognise that some aspects of ageing, like dementia and Alzheimer’s, are anything but funny. These conditions have serious, life-altering consequences, and the same can be said for the impact outdated software can have on businesses. The challenges that come with managing elderly software - like failing security, constant crashes, or inability to adapt - may not seem dire at first, but they can seriously undermine operations, safety, and compliance.
In the same way that ageing bodies need specialised care, businesses using outdated systems face growing risks if they aren’t addressed. Old software may still function in some sense, but over time, its flaws - whether security vulnerabilities or integration problems - can become liabilities that are costly to manage or, worse, leave the organisation vulnerable to catastrophic failures. Below, we’ll outline some of the most unfunny realities of using outdated software:
Dementia and Stroke: Software bugs and glitches become more frequent and severe→ Increasing error rates and crashes in legacy systems.
Alzheimer’s Disease: Loss of documentation and knowledge about the software→ Difficulty in finding developers familiar with old languages or frameworks.
Physical Impairments: Performance degradation and resource inefficiency.→ Older software consumes excessive CPU and memory.
Communication Difficulties: Inability to communicate effectively with modern systems.→ Legacy applications do not support current communication protocols.
Social Problems: Outdated software failing to meet contemporary user expectations. → Poor user interface and experience compared to modern applications.
Pain: High maintenance costs and frequent downtime.→ Businesses spend more on keeping outdated systems running.
I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a couple of those on that list…
For business owners, recognising the symptoms of elderly software is crucial for staying competitive and secure. Outdated systems not only pose significant risks like security vulnerabilities and downtime, but they also fail to meet modern compliance requirements. Modernising these legacy systems can save costs, improve efficiency, and ensure your business remains agile in a fast-changing market. Owners should treat the issues with outdated software as they would with medical symptoms — start by diagnosing the pain points, whether it’s security headaches or performance fatigue.
Once identified, prescribe the right treatment, be it a small update (like a digital aspirin) or a complete system overhaul (the software equivalent of surgery). Just don’t ignore the symptoms — before you know it, you’ll be calling the tech ambulance!
For those starting new software projects, take care not to rush into using the latest shiny library or framework. Learn from the past — understand the strengths and weaknesses of older technologies to build systems that are scalable and maintainable.
Alright, business owners, it’s time to face reality: your software isn’t getting any younger, and neither is your patience. Start by identifying your legacy systems and plan for a gradual, low-drama transition. You don’t have to toss everything overnight but start modernising key areas. When undertaking new software projects, take a deep breath — don’t dive into the latest tech trends without considering their longevity. Remember, just like fashion, what’s hot today might be outdated tomorrow! So, learn the history and build wisely for the future. The tech world moves fast — stay ahead before your software grows grey hairs and develops Physical Impairments and Social Problems (that last one hurts a lot!).
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