This is always a question from a strategical standpoint on just about everything.

For me, it's always either a matter of team building or coding.

For coding, I've always preferred to code from scratch. With technology advancing by the day, along with a multiude of dependent technology on the web. Coding from scratch has always served a better purpose as it allows me to fully grasp and control the latest technology.

Utilising existing code base is a very rare thing for me, especially when I'm unfamiliar with the code base. Existing code base, such as frameworks, I've always been against. This is because such frameworks are built to be as generic as possible, therefore a lot of coding has to cater for all scenarios. Every scenario the code base caters for adds additional logic the server must process in order to execute.

The only framework I'm using in web development so far in my career is jQuery. I've also tried the Zend Framework for a couple of projects. jQuery is good as I'm not an expert in javascript programming. So jQuery has enabled me to not be an expert in javascript programming but still able to make fantastic effects and actions.

Zend Framework, well I've never been a big fan of any PHP framework, but Zend Framework is the only one that I've tried that can be considered 'acceptable'. Because Zend Framework's library is optional, and you can include bits and bobs of it in your projects. Rather than a lot of other Frameworks out there tries to be the only 1 stop solution.

I was told Code Igniter is also a good alternative, though haven't had the chance to try it out.

In any case, if I take my logic over to building a team. I guess I still prefer to start from scratch than to utilise existing resources. I support the idea that training existing resources is better than hiring new ones, but that assumes that the existing resource is working well together, just not up to the standard.

Starting from scratch from a personnel perspective is better in that you can mould people's mind set into what you require, even if - when they join - they're not up to the required standard.

The most important thing for personnel in the web development world is the mind set. The mind set that they need to perfect, they need to constantly improve, constantly learn and willing to work in teams, as a team. If current resources do not have that mindset and you are forced to work with current resources, then the only way is to try and shift the mindset.

But if you can shift a mindset so easily, you must be a Jedi.

In a country that thoughts surrounds what to eat, gossips and money almost exclusively. My thinking tells me it's best to influence the young, than it is to become a Jedi.

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