He goes on to say that as apps are updated to require version >= 6, your iPad 1 stuck at 5.x will become useless. I think his conclusion is bullshit (e.g. I can still word process on a 286 just as well as I could the day I got it - brick it is not).
Did you even read TFA?
Yes. Did you miss this?
>"If you update an app to an iOS 6 version in iTunes on your computer and then try to sync your iPad 1, the old version of the app will just get removed from your iPad 1. The home screen on my iPod Touch 1G is pretty barren."
1982 — 80286 introduced;
1985 — obsoleted with introduction of 386;
1991 — Linux created without 286 support;
1992 — last 286 clone by AMD produced;
1992 — introduction of OS/2 2.0 without 286 support;
1995 — introduction of Windows 95 without 286 support;
2002 — official support of Windows 3.x dropped.