No, what I'm really saying is that if you get to cherry-pick the metrics, you can win any debate.

Of course there are tradeoffs in anything, and if the expressiveness of your build script is the deal-breaker for your project, by all means use make. On the whole, I will still argue that more modern alternatives provide a better total experience. Also, note that the OP is directed at beginners.

"Ubiquity" and "expressiveness" are hardly cherry picking in my book