The value of good software extends beyond its cost
Whether third-party or built in-house, thoughtful design and implementation can improve workflows and make science more inclusive
It’s commonly joked about that some of the best scientific software looks like it comes from the 1990s. In fact, plenty of academic labs have computers running ancient operating systems because those are the only ones compatible with their software. It’s a practice that’s probably fine, so long as you never connect systems that are too old for security updates to the internet.