Simon Willison’s Weblog

Do Python programmers have a tendency to write their own software instead of contributing? Why?

22nd January 2012

My answer to Do Python programmers have a tendency to write their own software instead of contributing? Why? on Quora

I think you’ll find that PROGRAMMERS have a tendency to develop their own thing rather than contributing to an existing project. It’s even got its own TLA: NIH (Not Invented Here).

It’s not always a bad thing. When Dave Winer expressed dismay at Douglas Crockford for inventing/discovering JSON when XML and XML-RPC already existed, Douglas responded:

“The good thing about reinventing the wheel is that you can get a round one.”