A strength of the book is that Lakos quantifies the benefits of his suggestions using simple measurements on dependency graphs. Some of Lakos' techniques go against the grain of most object-oriented doctrine. He recommends, for example, that it is sometimes better to repeat code than to introduce a compilation dependency between otherwise separable program components. However, just as Moore's Law predicts that chips will keep getting faster, Wilson's Corollary predicts that programs will keep getting bigger and more complex. Keeping build times manageable is therefore likely to become more, rather than less, important as time goes by.
Many programmers neglect studying the use of English while learning their own discipline.
Not only does it explain how to avoid common technical errors, it also shows the way to a clearer, more direct style. While it is not complete enough to be authoritative, it is small enough to be slipped into a briefcase for quick checking, and the contents are clearly presented.