My understanding was that the second-system effect refers specifically to a junior programmer's second project, not the second iteration of any given project.

My understanding was that the second-system effect refers specifically to a junior programmer's second project, not the second iteration of any given project. In any case, the solution proposed was not to avoid ever designing a second system, but to be mindful of this danger while doing so. (Not that I'll follow this advice either. Deliberately forcing myself to solve the same problem the same way more than once would drive me nuts.)