Q&A
"When is it right to throw away work and start over?"
It's simple.
It's right to throw work away when that's the most efficient way to get to the next place you need to be.
If transforming the existing code is slower and messier than writing it again, then rewriting is the better option.
The Ladder Analogy
To use a cliché that still works:
It's better to be at the bottom of a ladder you actually want to climb than halfway up a ladder you don't.
The only real question is:
"What is the most efficient way to get there from here?"
If the honest answer is "start fresh," then that's what we do.
Answered by Rulian
20 years building software, specializing in getting from idea to v1. Got a question? Ask me anything.