"detour", to reuse the word of the last paragraph, is how things happen. Look at how we'll get our favourite programming languages in the browser: by compiling

"detour", to reuse the word of the last paragraph, is how things happen. Look at how we'll get our favourite programming languages in the browser: by compiling to javascript, which evolves to become a potent IR (e.g. browsers support asm.js). Even if you look at the end result (the m4/configure/shell/fortran example) and it is indeed twisted, to honestly say it is abnormal to reach such a state is to disregard any experience developing software. Any project, even brought to life in the cathedral style, will accumulate cruft in the long run that can disappear only with effort.