I know I will get some hate mail on this one. It’s a business principal not an excuse to destroy valuable things and it goes with some provisos.
The full version goes like this: If it ain’t broke, break it. If it is not breakable duplicate it or protect the IP. If it was breakable it will be inevitably broken anyway so you might as well break it yourself so you can control the rebuild and make sure the next version is unbreakable.
Proviso Number 1: before you break anything, you need to be sure you can fix it and that your business can continue while you are doing the rebuilding.
Proviso Number 2: when you do build a new one, make sure it is unbreakable or someone else will.
WHY? Well firstly I am not adverse to the original version of this “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. I don’t want to fix things where I don’t know the weaknesses or vulnerabilities. Breaking something is one sure fire way to get that info.
If “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” was your way of doing business, then it is a matter of time until your systems fail and when they do, from my experience, it will happen at the worst possible time and you will be in the worst possible position to repair it.
Let’s face reality, whether you like it or not, you’re in business in the most competitive market that world has ever known. Your customers have access to all of your competitors instantly. If you are not ahead of the pack with the newest best thing, then the only point of competitiveness you have is price. We all know where that ends up.
YES! It is hard work. You’re not in Kansas and this isn’t the 50s. Businesses who rest on their laurels and antiquated practices get sunk on a daily basis. Even those who were once world dominators and relied on the old ways of operating succumb to new and better versions of basically the same thing. Stay ahead of the pack and let your business be the one that swims.