Is the running shoe "last" dead?

[andymh...@gmail.com]

I was told by Running Room staff that for custom orthotics, one uses a
straight last shoe. I was told that my Mizumo Wave Alchemy 11 was a
curved last. They didn't have one that met all my criteria, so I
continued to look. An older gentleman in a local store said that
straight and curved lasts were distinctions made when he was a kid.
These days, lasts are "universal". He looked at my Mizumos and said
they were universal.

Is he right? I have found no information online to indicate that the
"last" is dead, but he seemed to be quite confident about what he was
talking about. I'm not sure if it actully affects my choice, but he
recommended New Balance 847 (for a number or reasons related to my
criteria). The New Balance website doesn't say whether the last is
straight or curved, but they designate it as SL-1. Along with that,
they provided a link to a table that explains the various last
designations, but nothing is related to straightness or curveness. It
would appear that he is right about such a distinction being obsolete.