[astrobe_]

Besides Spolsky's law of leaky abstractions, "abstractions" can also result in "lowest common denominator" situations, which are the opposite of performance optimization. Talking negatively about abstractions is not what deals damage; you are shooting the messenger here. It's the abstractions themselves that deal damage when misplaced. "Zero-cost abstractions" is the true hyperbole.

[janwas]

Is this a good faith reply? The particular abstraction we built, and is being discussed, is manifestly and obviously not a lowest common denominator. Looks like you are deploying a second straw man, that of zero cost. In other comments here I acknowledge a cost to intrinsics.