I'm continuously impressed by how the decisions we make in the course of building an application are so permanent. They seem so permanent because they're so dang hard to change once put into play. Whether its the naming of variables, files or components, field names in a table, SQL schema, or--heaven help us--the consequences of flawed or needlessly complex logic.
A couple of nights ago I wanted to move ahead with an asp.net app I'm working on, but instead knew that I had to deal with a SQL logic design flaw I put into play early in the day and had been coding against throughout that day. I came to the conclusion that I had no choice but to delete and re-write a bunch of code because the SQL logic I came up with was unnecessarily complex.
I have a crazy scientist, ex-Marine neighbor with several U.S. patents to his name in engineering who often likes to say, "The first rule in engineering is: Keep it SIMPLE." He is soooo right. When I have to think too much to adhere to some logic I've come up and trying to code against, then maybe that logic is flawed. And before its too late and I have to live with it forever, I do not fear the delete key.