content: I bet that guy who knows perl will get a higher paying job if you fire him. I like the "once we have time to..." You know you'll never have time and that guy will keep writing and supporting ancient code forever. I'm not that guy but I was somewhat recently offered a very high paying job if I would learn perl and rewrite 20+ years of professional developers perl code for a major federal contractor. Could probably retire there 90 years old still working on that project. I think the more likely reason which is somewhat related is that older people don't put up with as much bullshit. That guy knows he'll get by. He is a developer. He'll die before he can't make a living writing perl regardless of how his wages change. Companies want young desperate workers who are trying to prove something and haven't realized yet that they'll never get to join the illuminati no matter how late they stay. You sound like you're about there right now.