> So while the general point you quoted can absolutely be viable in many situations [...] the reality is, most programmers aren't good with this stuff, and that

> So while the general point you quoted can absolutely be viable in many situations [...] the reality is, most programmers aren't good with this stuff, and that's okay. I understand where you are coming from, I'm not suggesting this is some widely applicable principle (perhaps the emphasis in my previous comment was suggestive of that). Absolutism never works in this arena: code reuse and libraries will always have it's place, and can have their own advantages (e.g shared correctness), but sometimes tearing it all down and writing from scratch also has it's place, and I think it is undervalued by comparison - Although I agree it takes a certain kind of person with not only enough experience and wisdom but a level of care and attention to detail that few are capable of.