[mattbillenstein]

I'd generally rather refactor than rewrite, but I've had to rewrite instead of refactor in code bases where the business logic is very highly coupled to the data model.

Mostly I'm thinking of Django/Rails types of frameworks where the database/orm layer is scattered all through the business logic and view/controller stuff. It's basically impossible to refactor one or the other separately or any single component of the system without affecting all the others. This is when I think rewrite becomes the only feasible path forward.