If it were merely used as a representative workload, one would apply a discount to the complexity and size of the compiler since it can be assumed that compilin

If it were merely used as a representative workload, one would apply a discount to the complexity and size of the compiler since it can be assumed that compiling a larger and more complicated program should take longer (i.e. the measurement would be something like loc/s). But that's not the case here, because the value of simplicity and size is pitted against performance. I think the delta of agreement here is small; I just mean to note that “justified” here includes the value of the simplicity of the compiler. I have a personal bias towards the paper of course, because I would love to be downstream of a fallacy that gave me the development ergonomics of any of the Wirth or Wirth-like languages.