Yes, there is very little in the NXT code base that is worth salvaging.  

We could have very easily cloned the coin,  but after thorough analysis,  we believe it not to be worth the trouble.  It truly is one of the worse implementations of a crypto-currency I have seen.

We are therefore building from a much better and robust foundation.

I think people would rather see something that is robust and secure than a flimsy product.