Amen!

I would add that there are very few things that haven't already been done anyway. Sometimes all it takes is that little extra twist or polish to make a project orders of magnitude more valuable.

The huge benefit I personally enjoy is the learning that takes place.

For example, I've seen dozen of map editors for games. People have done this. But there's not a really stellar implementation for VERGE. That's a niche with unmet needs. Groundbreaking ideas are rare, so I think variations on a theme are the best place to start. Even in the absence of ideas for a novel variation: do what's been done. Can you do it? How does your solution stack up?

Do I have a sense for what would be involved in constructing X, Y, and Z components for a map editor? Sure. But I've never actually done it. I've never /built/ X, Y, and Z and tied them all together into a really compelling user experience.

Also, the more I read, the less I am "ashamed" of past failures to complete a project. If anything, I've come to view failure as the /necessary/ cobblestones which pave the road toward ultimate success.

I've recently found a treasure trove of past incomplete "projects" (I was incredibly giddy to discover they still existed.) I've yet to really pick through and revisit them. It should prove to be an interesting retrospective/introspective process. I'll blog about my findings.

Thanks Chuck!

Great to hear that you are looking at past failures in a new way. They are simply stepping stones to better understanding, about coding and about yourself. I have a hard drive full of false starts (as well as a garage!). I also have some things I am very proud of out there. I wouldnt have the successes without knowing what failure *is*.

I think a past discussion between Atwood and Hanselman really highlights this mentality as a good thing. http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000576.html

Thanks for the comment and I look forward to reading about what gems you glean from your coding history.