Should I use Blender 2.44 rather than the latest version of Blender? Should I use/learn Blender 2.44?

I know I will probably catch flak for asking this question.  But I have not continued my self-paced Blender training with any diligence ever since the interface changed.  I picked up my The Essential Blender: Guide to 3D Creation with the Open Source Suite 2007 by Roland Hess and started to get excited again.  But as I move forward I feel if I ask for any help, I will be scorned for not using close to the latest version.  Is there an underground 2.44 group somewhere out there? :-D  I guess that was 2 questions
Downsides to using blender version 2.49 or older:


Interface is very different than versions after 2.5
Materials are set up differently, some of the functions have other names.
Animation and rigging will not translate properly to newer versions.
Keyboard shortcuts are different.
Most modern plugins will not work. Python scrip terms and versions might not be compatible.
Unstable, and has more bugs.
Possible incompatibilities using modern hardware or modern Operating Systems
No Cycles rendering possible.
Lacks major features to reduce time consuming tasks.
Some tutorials will use features you have, but you will have trouble finding them.
Many users on BSE, and on-line forums will not be unable to help you, as a lot of use never used that version (Surely a few have though)
Harder to find support. 
If you find a bug, or blender crashes, you cannot report the crash/bug, and will have to find really old topics for help, or just end up working around the bug.
Generally not a good idea
Once you master the old version, you'll have to forget what you've learned and start over to learn newer versions.


Upsides to using older version:


Perhaps some features you loved are there that they removed (and if there is you can probably find someone made it into a plugin somewhere)


some plugins for older formats only work on older versions.

A different look. 


Feel free to edit in other upsides/downsides.