It is surprising that in 2010 we are still talking about efficiency in terms of lines of code whether the absolute number to express a problem or in the speed t

It is surprising that in 2010 we are still talking about efficiency in terms of lines of code whether the absolute number to express a problem or in the speed that these lines can be created. I realise that this is a proxy for the ability of a language to succinctly express a problem however it ignores all the major factors that determine how effective a piece of code is over its lifetime. The ability of language X to solve a problem depends on: 1. The expressiveness of the syntax to capture algorithmic complexity. 2. The availability of tools to support the creation of the code. 3. The ability of the typical programmer, conversant in the language, to write the code. 4. The costs involved in maintaining the code over its lifetime. Rendering all these dimensions into a single metric seems simplistic at best, undermining the argument as to which set of tools and technologies are deserving of more attention and ultimately plays into the hands of the people who wish to render programmers and programming into pure commodities.