The way I've heard it is is "Evolution, not revolution". You evolve your code with refactoring and rewriting only pieces at a time. This is opposed to revoluti

The way I've heard it is is "Evolution, not revolution". You evolve your code with refactoring and rewriting only pieces at a time. This is opposed to revolution, also known as "the big rewrite", which replaces the entire application all at once. Your "modular enough systems" seems to indicate that you also favor evolution over revolution.