I don't think package management is a solved problem. Most distributions fail at the simple task of installing multiple versions of the same package alongside each other. Also, lackluster dependency management (you install library X, it wants to install mail server Y and database Z).

There are many approaches that one would mistake as being "reinventing the wheel":

1. FreeBSD ports system is barebones, but incredibly simple and transparent.

2. Arch Linux's PKGBUILD recipes are also simple and, at times, a much better alternative to binary packages.

3. Gobo Linux (http://www.gobolinux.org) solved binary packaging the right way by having each package in it's own tree. It's approach is similar to OS X, which also gets this right.