Ah yep. I know how it feels to solve some random useless problem that shouldn't even exist in the first place. It still feels great (like solving any other real problem). But it's a psychological trap that makes you feel more invested in the horrible technology which created the problem in the first place.

It's like filling out useless bureaucratic government forms. You still get a hit of satisfaction once you finish filling them out even though deep down you know it was a massive waste of time and the whole process could have been much simpler.

Technological Stockholm syndrome