That was the post, I didn't remember exactly and couldn't be bothered looking.

I've said many times that indexes won't help poor *query* design and that indexes shouldn't be created where they're not needed. I have never said what he's saying and his implication (that well designed databases don't need indexes) is just completely wrong.

Yes, too many indexes can kill a system, but again, that's not what he's saying there. "Indexing is too often the way a bad programmer kludges his way around his poor design" implies that any indexes are unnecessary (which he implies with the rest of his post too, saying to the person that he doesn't need indexes), not that some dev's put too many in.

Indexes are essential to good query performance on any system poor design or good design.