[xipho]

In scientific software development "don't want to reinvent the wheel" is an oft-repeated mantra that I like to push back on when I hear it. To be fair it's often used in the context of "we'd rather/like to collaborate", rather than an appeal to use "that exact thing".

Re-inventing things independently in parallel (parallel evolution analogies) is perhaps a strong indication that something interesting is going on. How do we know we got it "right" if we don't converge independently? If we invent a square wheel, and stopped because "wheel", we'd be in a horrible place. Science is a process, the process of reinventing is a great way to realize new things, and to train, at a low level, scientists. I suspect the process of re-inventing is also important in building out our (long term) ability to depend on our "gut feelings", thus providing the ability to nudge us to experiment along one path or another.

[Edit ... all things the article mentions.]

[yummypaint]

Reinventing certain wheels is arguably the only way to be sure you understand them. For example Monte Carlo sampling implementations.

The logical conclusion of this mindset is mathematics, where people literally prove all of algebra and calculus to themselves as they learn it. There are good pedagogical reasons for doing this.

[fuzzfactor]

I'm seeing scientific software being reinvented as kind of a scattered shitshow compared to when it was all drawn up in house using very few computer languages most of the time originally.

OTOH, if you're going to invent something every day anyway, it's really not that bad to reinvent the same thing more than once, even in the same year ;)

Can be more variety than watching the same movie more than once, plus you might even get more out of it the second time either way.

Now what hits me is when you don't even know if your goal is possible but it would be good if it was, and it seems maybe within reach more than other impossible things, it takes a lot of efforts like this before any pay off. You eventually get the feeling of what to pursue, and when to wind down if a fruitless pursuit is the kind that cannot be brought to bear.

Now with things like the wheel, you know it's possible to begin with, and quite popular already too, so that's a different starting point when you know it's a proven quantity of some kind, you're not taking the same kind of risks.

Then you have to consider if you eventually do make something difficult possible, chances are it's barely possible and kind of touchy. But at least then you know it's possible, that can be one of the best milestones right there. Probably still need to keep on inventing so you can make it even more possible, though.

I think it's most satisfying to have a mix of reinventions along with an ongoing effort on things that haven't been fully invented yet.