> they end up coming up with something equivalent to IPv6
Not just that. Almost every single thing people think up that's "better" is something that was considered and rejected by the IPv6 design process, almost always for well-considered reasons.
Or frequently, considered and accepted. 6to4 is a popular one to reinvent.
The converse also happens: people look at something IPv6 supports and says "that's crazy, why would that be allowed/designed for", without knowing that IPv4 does it too.