This has the potential to become quite an emotive subject, so I'm going to bow out of the discussion and I would recommend everyone think long and hard before they post. I don't want a flame war or anything like that to ensue from what is a perfectly reasonable statement by Relfos.

My closing statements on this debate though are these...

I have my reasons for wanting to build an engine from the ground up with a collection of like minded individuals who also have their own reasons for getting involved in this endeavour. Personally, I want to learn the basics and then expand my knowledge to a sufficient level where I can feel comfortable using the product we create. But, I've been getting around to learning this stuff for years and thus far I have achieved the sum total of nothing.

I want that to change.

Diving into someone else's engine will not in my considered opinion give me the same kinds of opportunities to do this as this community project will.

And so, I hear what you're saying but for me personally, the right choice is to work on a community project. For everyone else... I don't know the full details of why they are doing it, but I'm sure glad they are because I think we'll come out the other side better for the experience even if we don't achieve what we'd like to, but as the community manager I'm going to do my best to make sure that the worst case doesn't happen.

The community was a little quiet, I floated the idea and well, I honestly didn't expect the response it received, which I do believe speaks volumes. Given this, it would be crazy of me to not then pursue the idea to it's logical conclusion, whatever that may be. None of us can know what will happen with this project, but as others have already said, we would welcome constructive criticism from people, particularly if they are as technically talented as you appear to be. Just don't try to dissuade us from having a go