[ben_jones]

Sure, but a lot of expensive and awful software is awful in part because it contains a ginormous number of features, edge cases, and compliance issues. It could take years to create a "modern replacement" and a HUGE amount of effort to gain the same trust and reputation as the incumbent.

Then after spending years building this software, the incumbent opens up their war chest, hires a small dev team, does a gradual refactoring, and has sudden parity in performance/design as you do.

People underestimate that many of these products are exactly where they need to be: functional enough to attract and retain customers and able to compete when absolutely necessary.

[jaredsmithse]

With that being the case, then no startup would ever be successful (and disruption would not be a thing)..