if you mean the straight-forward nature of the code, I agree. I think we over-complicate code today because we are promised ease of maintenance, or high-level

if you mean the straight-forward nature of the code, I agree. I think we over-complicate code today because we are promised ease of maintenance, or high-level declaration, or something else, and I don't think those promises have ever come true, except in very small textbook-type examples.