i did this in a django shop where they had comparable class/code bloat/brokenness everywhere. rolled their own security. multiple race conditions. broken and an

i did this in a django shop where they had comparable class/code bloat/brokenness everywhere. rolled their own security. multiple race conditions. broken and anti-user frontend. 1. put together a big process flow diagram showing some of the dead code paths and ridiculous complexity and how it is causing bugs — show what they’ve done. show them the problem. 2. show a diagram of a comparable/desirable stack (ie fewer bugs/easier to change) — what you would have done. show them the solution. 3. put forward a longer term contract or something. basically charge more to rewrite the whole thing — what it’s going to cost them and how they need to commit to change. - step three is important. i would not move forward today if they don’t make a suitable commitment. hand wavy verbal statements are not good enough. getting something written on paper is key. if they’re not willing to write it down then walk away — they haven’t had enough pain yet and aren’t willing to change their approach. i did not get written down commitment from the django shop and i regret it. i am no longer there (and much happier).