IMO the three most important reasons we use computers are: - correctness - performance - automation (We basically still suck at all three.) As I understood

IMO the three most important reasons we use computers are: - correctness - performance - automation (We basically still suck at all three.) As I understood it, the talk mainly addresses the third point. We write inflexible concretions that require a buttload of work, maintenance and resources to achieve mediocre things. Sussman is pushing programming and software design into directions that break away with this limitation, often through powerful general principles and techniques. The book "Software Design and Flexibility" explores this and provides a variety of examples and advice.