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# Throwback Thursday: April 23, 2026
- URL: https://nolongerset.com/throwback-thursday-2026-04-23/
- Published: 2026-04-24T03:47:26.000Z
- Updated: 2026-05-08T12:49:12.000Z
- Description: Today's edition of Throwback Thursday revisits the pitfalls of leaving old code and database fields around and answers the question, "What could it hurt?"
- Author: Mike Wolfe
- Tags: Throwback Thursday, #Import 2026-05-20 02:59

*With over a million words scattered across more than 1,500 articles on this blog, you've probably missed a few things here.*

*That’s why each week in "Throwback Thursday," we’ll revisit some standout posts. Expect a blend of my personal favorites, insightful articles from other great minds, and a touch of coding humor to keep things light.*

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## Highlights from NoLongerSet.com

[Cruft Sale!Everything must go!!! Dead code, obsolete reports, and bunches of binary backups! No offer too big or too small!![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/09/NLS_Icon_square.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/2020/11/chrissie-kremer-Eq9uX_TuE_c-unsplash.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/cruft-sale/)

[Old Code Left in PlaceWhat’s the harm in leaving old code in place? It’s not like it costs us anything. ... Or does it?![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/09/NLS_Icon_square.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/2021/01/auto-1506936_1920.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/old-code-left-in-place/)

[Old Fields Left in PlaceLeaving old fields in place is even worse than leaving old code. Instead of runtime errors, you’ll end up with harder-to-detect data errors.![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/09/NLS_Icon_square.png)No Longer SetMike Wolfe![](https://nolongerset.com/content/images/2021/01/field-4707277_1920.jpg)](https://nolongerset.com/old-fields-left-in-place/)

## Developer Humor

### Code Lifespan

[![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/d7/ebd732c1-5f03-4f07-b386-5d08557e15c9/content/images/2026/04/image-4.png)](https://xkcd.com/2730/)

Surely (no one/everyone) will (recognize how flexible and useful this architecture is/spend a huge amount of effort painstakingly preserving and updating this garbage I wrote in 20 minutes)

*Cover image generated by Ideogram*