4 ms·
> Indeed, it may be one of the advantages of capitalism that it encourages such rewriting. A company that needs software to do something can't use the software
by gizmo 5y ago
> Indeed, it may be one of the advantages of capitalism that it encourages such rewriting. A company that needs software to do something can't use the software already written to do it at another company, and thus has to write their own, which often turns out better.
I think this is a great insight, and perhaps this is the reason why open source libraries aren't a panacea. By building your own stuff from scratch you get something that makes sense for --your project--. When you glue libraries together you get something that works, but the parts never quite fit and product quality suffers. And the sheer enjoyment of building something entirely from scratch combined with having a lean and mean thing that works exactly the way as intended is absolutely worth it.
The next time you're comparing libraries and none of them suit your application perfectly, maybe ask yourself if you should just re-invent the wheel, and thereby make it "a project of one's own".
- BiggsHoson 5y agoI once worked for a small software company that produced custom-written ERP systems for small to mid-sized manufacturers. It was a real thrill to be presented a problem and write code that solves it nicely, removing hindrances to productive work by the end users. I loved being able to visit in person, see the issue first-hand, work with them to devise a solution, and then later watch how much easier their job had become because of it. I miss that kind of job satisfaction. Indeed, it satisfied a deep, personal need to create. I was just fortunate that I could make a living doing so.