Learning skills is a good thing - not easily discovered, not easily acquired, easily lost.
If you’re in a speciality occupation, it may not be a bad idea to gather a small library of “how we used to do it” books. You never know…!

What I have heard about it is that it takes pilots away from flying conventional aircraft, whether fixed wing or rotary. It does not make them obsolete so much as a rarer commodity.

My introduction to the world of computers was in a Navy school in which we learned to program in machine language, i.e. in 0s and 1s. At that time the limited memory, and that is a gross understatement, placed a premium on efficient programming. Now, even many computer professionals are several steps removed from the machine.

In the aviation business, there is concern about deteriorating piloting skills as the computer driven auto-pilots and navigation systems are close to making pilots superfluous–until something fails. A number of years ago, as much of the current technology was relatively new, Southwest Airlines allegedly opted to have a lesser level of automation installed in their new airplanes to keep their pilots more involved in routine procedures. Some folks accused them of doing so to cut costs, but my understsanding is that they actually paid more for customized cockpits. At another level the UAV technology is even closer to making military pilots obsolete.

Two years later we had a computer (IBM AT 7 MHz w/ 20 MB HDD)with a 150 dpi laser printer, and a film recorder that produced stunning 35mm slides.

By 1995 we had stopped using all the equipment in the first paragrah, and used LCD projectors showing Powerpoint and full color plotters printing 36 inch wide posters. It has been a lot of fun learning the new technology, although I miss using some of my painfully developed skills of the previous era.

I’ve worked closely with photographers during that period. The advent option of digital photography began later, but the tools have also completely changed.

In both areas the technology has permitted increased speed of production beyond imaging, but it seems to me that over all, skill levels have dropped as technology begins to compensate for ability.

Information at my fingertips, databases of relevant people to do research or invite to speak (including contact details!) - don’t know what I would do without it.

I have a friend who atttended Law School and set up a practice after retiring as a Naval Aviator. Some 25 years ago, I needed some legal advice and went to his firm, which included two partners who were also retired Naval Officers.

In addition to their Law degrees, these fellows were all graduates in the fields of Opeartions Analysis or Computer Science. Using their considerable technical knowedge, they were embroiled in starting an allied company with the thrust of digitalizing law offices. At the time they seemed to be enjoying considerable success–and working themselves to death. I don’t know if they were pioneers in the field, or whether they were simply catching the wave.

Unfortunately, they advised me that there was no way that I could legally kick my Employer’s rear end. Still, the SEC did the trick some years later.