[lootabooga]

> "The more I use graphical interfaces (or anything that does not operate on text streams - commandline curses programs included), the more I am struck by how profound the loss of composability is".

Er, try Automator.app for an example of non text-stream "composability". Also: Quartz composer. Also: Max/MSP.

Oh, and text-stream composability might be the "unix way" in, but is not exactly programming, it is command line glue.

Composability in programming itself is achieved via other means, for example objects, widgets, components, messages, etc.