When I say shortcut I mean anything from building a dynamic website using a CMS, right down to 'pinching' a PHP mail or JavaScript validation script off a website like HotScripts.

I find it hard to think of someone as a web developer if they build sites like this, surely they should get to grips with how the languages actually work and attempt to code the scripts themselves? Wouldn't that offer more possibilites to them in terms of what they can build?

But then on the other hand I think about what my lecturer said about not "re-inventing the wheel", I suppose it is a lot of effort to go to just to do something that has already been done millions of times by others?

Having said that I suppose I could do with getting used to a few popular CMS', as I've had several possible clients asking me if I'm familiar with different ones.

I just can't seem to let myself take any of these 'shortcuts' without feeling like I'm cheating. Although I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing lol, it may just result in me being a Jack of all trades?

IMO, there is nothing wrong with using a GPL solution when it works.

I personally agree with your assement of most of the major CMS systems. But, to satisfy your clients you may have to learn to work with them.

Would you be like Henry Clay or Barrack Obama? The former said "He would rather be right than president". Circa 1850 +-.

It depends how you look at it. In the case of using 3rd party scripts, if I was a mechanic I wouldn't make a new spanner every time I wanted to undo a nut and bolt!

Probably like many others I have an arsenal of scripts that I reuse regularly, everything from mailers to CMS's. If I have nothing that fits the bill it gets custom written.

As for CMS's lots of customers want them nowadays so being able to provide solutions will help you in the long run. I'd recommend getting familiar with 3 or 4 different CMS's so you can pick the right one for the job.