If developers factored the true cost of features into estimates then a lot less would get built. Instead, SMBs with tight budgets and long lists of feature requ

If developers factored the true cost of features into estimates then a lot less would get built. Instead, SMBs with tight budgets and long lists of feature requests go with the lowest bid or shortest time frame. Developers are incentivized to under-estimate because the business wants to hear that and if one shop won't, the competition will. Almost no one considers the underlying open-source infrastructure as a liability, let alone a duty to contribute towards. The first step to reduce bloat is to normalize estimates which include dependencies, maintenance, and growth.