I’m curious how software can be created and evolve over time. I’m afraid that at some point, we’ll realize there are issues with the software we’re using that can only be remedied by massive changes or a complete rewrite.
Are there any instances of this happening? Where something is designed with a flaw that doesn’t get realized until much later, necessitating scrapping the whole thing and starting from scratch?
There are many instances like that. Systemd vs system V init, x vs Wayland, ed vs vim, Tex vs latex vs lyx vs context, OpenOffice vs libreoffice.
Usually someone identifies a problem or a new way of doing things… then a lot of people adapt and some people don’t. Sometimes the new improvement is worse, sometimes it inspires a revival of the old system for the better…
It’s almost never catastrophic for anyone involved.
Some of those are not rewrites but extensions/forks
I’d say only open/libreoffice fits that.
Edit: maybe Tex/latex/lyx too, but context is not.
LaTeX and ConTeXt are both macros for TeX. LyX is a graphical editor which outputs LaTeX.
Yes… I’d classify context as a reboot of latex.