For sure. Before 'hit parades' music could sit around in a desk drawer for decades (Schubert) before being heard. Because innovation drove away audiences wantin

For sure. Before 'hit parades' music could sit around in a desk drawer for decades (Schubert) before being heard. Because innovation drove away audiences wanting to hear the familiar. The people who made sure that Schubert's stuff lived was other composers ... not audiences. Software's the same ... the people who cheer great code (art, science) are people who understand it well enough to recognize great code. The opinions of peers is an important part of achievement metrics. And that artful kind of code pretty much counts for nothing by any standard 'industry' measures. But it's influential.