The problem is that writing the code yourself is nice, while tracing/solving bugs in the code of others and fixing docs sucks. Too many free software authors do the nice work and rely on others to do the dirty work. They write code, release it and claim victory, while their code is only barely usable. The problem is that something barely usable is better than something nonexistent, so it gets used and we are stuck with a suboptimal solution. In this respect, free software development constantly gets stuck in a local maximum.
You have to weigh the value of immediacy against permanently enshrined qualities and perform your own cost-benefit analysis.
This is called critical thinking, they introduce this around age 12 in most western societies. You don't have to pick a religion and stick with it, you can just make a judgment call on a case-by-case basis.
