[Ozzie_osman]

Complexity is a function of how hard something is to understand multiplied by how often it needs to be understood (and modified).

If it is impossible to understand, but never needs to be understood, it has no cost... Until you or someone else needs to understand it, that is :)

[denton-scratch]

> If it is impossible to understand, but never needs to be understood, it has no cost

You've just argued that difficulty of understanding times need to understand is cost, not complexity. It doesn't make sense to claim that complexity becomes simplicity if you no longer need to understand it.

[k3liutZu]

> Complexity is a function of how hard something is to understand multiplied by how often it needs to be understood (and modified).

I like this. Sums it up pretty nicely.