> Yes, you have some extra code in your code base so it's less clean. You also have a stable environment as a result. The first affects only your personal preference. The latter affects all of your developers and users.
No, the former results in a bloated code base full of old legacy crap that no one understands and is afraid to touch because it might break. You have to insert weird workarounds because that bug is now a feature to some idiot and you provide backwards compatibility so it lives forever now.
Has software quality increased now that everyone is refactoring and rewriting everything for every release?
I don't think so.
Its just plain arrogance to believe your are a better developer than the guy who came before. Having some fear of breaking the code base is healthy, the same way that having a little fear that the chainsaw is going to cut off your leg makes you safer.
No, the former results in a bloated code base full of old legacy crap that no one understands and is afraid to touch because it might break. You have to insert weird workarounds because that bug is now a feature to some idiot and you provide backwards compatibility so it lives forever now.