[stahnma]

Author here.

Code doesn't become legacy if it didn't fulfill some purpose. If it didn't work, it wouldn't be legacy, it'd be source code in somebody's home directory that was never deployed.

All working software is not legacy software. All legacy software (still running) works, for some definitions of works.

That's not to say your points aren't also really correct. Software is built with current requirements and knowledge in mind. Best decisions with info we have..etc.

[davemp]

I know of at least three projects (with huge budgets) right now that are spawned from the corpses of old, failed projects that never worked. Those old projects make up the legacy of the current effort and can’t be easily thrown away.