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The idiom “reinventing the wheel” means not to waste time changing something fundamental that already works well. However, sometimes reinventing existing systems can lead to significant gains. The phrase “don’t reinvent a square wheel” means not to create something worse than the original. Basic elements of construction should be examined to see if an accepted design is really as applicable as it could be. Rebuilding simple machines can offer hands-on experience and appreciation for the thought and skill that goes into making something.
The idiom, “reinventing the wheel,” is an English saying of unknown origin that is widely used to describe an exercise in futility. Many people will say, “Don’t reinvent the wheel” when starting a business, which means that some fundamental aspect of the business shouldn’t be changed or replicated, as it would be a waste of time. The wheel in this idiom refers to the actual invention of the wheel and the fact that this invention changed human history and could be considered near-perfect advancement. The term can symbolize advances in various forms of technology that are thought to be relatively perfect and do not require reinvention to build something else.
Perhaps it’s easier to see why people wouldn’t want to reinvent the wheel with a concrete example. A computer programmer who is creating a video game can rely on specific programs that already exist to do so. He doesn’t build a game system from scratch, but instead works to create a game that fits into an existing system. Provided that the goal is just to produce a good video game, the programmer can simply pay attention to existing programming laws and systems to create one.
This example actually includes some of the reasons people have trouble with the idiom, reinvent the wheel. Suppose the programmer really wants to make a new and exciting game for a new system. He could very well decide to start by building a new system from scratch that could allow for more gameplay functionality. Creating the Nintendo Wii®, for example, which allows people to incorporate movement into games is a reinvention of the wheel, and arguably fun and good. The question becomes what can be profited when people reinvent existing systems? Sometimes the answer is that there is a lot to gain.
Of course, even within this example, not all things are reinvented. The new game system may not reinvent the wheel with basic electronic elements. It could still plug into a wall, for example. Not all skins have to be newly created to change or improve something. Wheels today are still round, but they are rarely made of stone, a fact for which anyone wishing to save gas can be very grateful.
A related phrase is “don’t reinvent a square wheel,” which generally means don’t go back to the basics and invent something that isn’t as good as the original. This may reflect a fear that prevents people from branching out and trying new things. However, sometimes it is necessary to examine the most basic elements of construction to see if an accepted design is really as applicable as it could be. Obviously the invention produced some “square wheels”, but it also developed things that the wheel’s inventors could never have imagined possible.
Some people might argue that reinventing the wheel has a purpose. This is why there are many engineering and physics classes and at the high school and grammar school levels where students rebuild very simple machines. Actually working on these machines can make people appreciate the thought and skill that goes into making something. It offers hands-on experience instead of asking students to take for granted the huge results of even small and basic creations.
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