Unfortunately in practice that's not always the case. People are often so set in their ways they'll still try to do direct ports of "the old ways" even if the new language/platform offer easier/more elegant solutions. It can be very frustrating.
You raise a great point. Another big challenge we have had is re-educating developers. This has been helped by finding the really sharp engineers internally and hiring new engineers that bring in the right DNA.
I think we are getting to a tipping point, but it is a lot of work obviously.
Technology is not a silver bullet. Nor process. At the end of the day it is about your people. Technology & process can set them free.
I am doing a similar thing in a organization that has been at least as dis-functional, I know exactly what you're talking about. In fact, everything that you have presented and chatted about here resonates so well with me that I'd be interested in getting in touch with you. Case studies like yours are preciously rare on HN. My address is in my profile if you're open for it.
