Abstraction should be based on whether the abstraction makes it easier or harder to reason about: to see, to predict consequences of decisions, to diagnose caus

Abstraction should be based on whether the abstraction makes it easier or harder to reason about: to see, to predict consequences of decisions, to diagnose causes of behaviour. Usually, the established abstractions of the domain are an excellent guide. Even if you think they are sub-optimal objectively, they are easier to reason about for experts in that field. I like the article's language of comtaining the "damage" code can do. A C-style modularizarion technique I haven't seen used is long functions, with sections' variables' visibility limited by braces.