I would appreciate it if you could quote the article where it expounds on the cost.

I've read through it a few times, and could only find two very brief, vague, handwavy complaints against X:

1 - "the code happens to implement an unfortunate specification"

2 - "You can only apply so much thrust to the pig before you question why you're trying to make it fly at all."

As an end-user, I don't find these to be particularly convincing.

Moreover, X works for me now and does everything I need.