[CRConrad]

> every CRUD application gets more and more convoluted over time and isn't "just CRUD" very soon after it's created.

I'm guessing tht's in large part because stuff just keeps getting added, with no refactoring / restructuring of the database. If you just keep adding columns (and tables) without refactoring your data model, stuff can easily get convoluted AF without actually needing to; the same funcionality could probably still be "just CRUD" if it were built on top of an appropriate data model. (I may be eaxggerating somewhat, but I think probably pretty much anything could.)