[jfengel]

Programmers love programming for other programmers. We most respect the writers of operating systems and languages. We hold them as having the deepest wisdom. But really, it's just because their target audience is us.

Doing stuff for actual customers is seen as grunt work. Their interests aren't ours, and we can't share what we learn with our peers.

So we end up reinventing the wheel just because it's more fun. And it is fun, and that's ok. Sometimes it's even useful. You just have to figure out what your real goal is, and not spend your whole life polishing your craft for its own sake.