Adam Turoff wrote:

I could have written my taxicab number search in C or Java, but I would have lost interest somewhere between #include <stdio.h> or public static void main(String args[]) and firing up the compiler.

It’s a shame this happens so often. It should be easier to just write the part your idea is about and then insert it into some thing, that will make the rest work.

Before being able to try and research your ideas, you need to have the basic code working. When people ask: why would you write your own X software? Where X is one of the pieces of software you have written, that looks like something that already exists. This would be the answer.

If there is a program or system that works for 95 percent or even 90, that would take a lot of time write. Then there is almost no incentive to create (or test) a similar tool. An example of this would be Google. Or a computer game that uses a 3D engine.

These all take many years to create, and there is not much to gain from the work that is done to get to the same level. To innovate you need to have a basis; but you will be bankrupt before you even get near.