It often seems that the effort to re-use software components is just as difficult as building needed functionality from scratch. Most components are generalized so that they can be used in a wide variety of situations - with the result that any given piece of software made from pre-fab components has a whole bunch of unused functionality left over - pipes that lead nowhere, half-walls and stairways to dead ends. That extra functionality often makes it difficult to learn about and use a component and adds substantially to the integration work. It also means that the cost of developing the component's functionality has to be recovered somehow. Creating the needed functionality from scratch is often more efficient. All the extra functionality of a generalized component is left out making it easier to learn and use, and it is perfectly integrated with the other parts of the system immediately. Those who promote the construction analogy in the form of component based development overlook the simplicity and intuitiveness of "components" in construction. Any analogy or methodology which deals with software components must explicitly recognize and address the incredible complexity inherent in the concept of software components.