After reading the article I think the point stand. Not always but for example when working doing a RDBMS all the abstractions are active inhibitors and even hostile to do what should be done (easier) without all that.

And then you need to know that "no, all that IO sys call not do what you want, how yow want neither how is documented or even practiced by most" to take the most obvious case.

So, yes, this is a case where this quote is on point.