title: Android: If an element is deprecated at a certain API level, is it only for that API level and above?
body: <p>If an element was deprecated in API level 11, is it considered a deprecated element (not to be used if it can be helped) in API levels below 11 also or just 11 and above? If I am writing an app for API level 8, should I care about an element that was deprecated in API level 11?</p>
  
  <p>This is slightly confusing to me. In Android API, for the SQLiteDatabase class for example, the method setLockingEnabled(boolean lockingEnabled) says:
  This method was deprecated in API level 16. This method now does nothing. Do not use.</p>
  
  <p>Does that mean it does nothing for all API levels below also or just API level 16 and above?</p>
  
  <p>And if you are working on professional, commercial software, how important is it to avoid deprecated elements?</p>