[nikanj]

With PHP frameworks, I can monkey patch things by grabbing a text editor and just editing the functions I need fixed.

On the other end of the spectrum, looking at the Windows compile instructions for popular C++ products makes me reach for a bottle, of Advil or Absinthe.

Yes, I can customize any component assuming I have the source (and modification rights), but for some components, the customization comes naturally, with others, just getting a runnable binary is a whole-week ordeal.