I decided to build it ourselves because buying looked expensive, and now six months later I see the real cost. The maintenance, the people, the time we sank in, it dwarfs the license we balked at. I can make these build-versus-buy calls, but I keep underestimating what each path truly costs.
More people experience this than they realize.
You weigh build versus buy but keep underestimating the true cost and lock-in of each.
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.