You (and the article) would be correct if the ORM/no ORM was a black and white affair. However, as others already pointed out in this thread, it is not. It is perfectly viable to use an ORM as the basis and gradually switch to 'raw' sql if the need arises.

For most of my projects I use Django nowadays. Its ORM is usually sufficient. In cases where it is not I add a query method to a model class that just executes the most efficient sql query possible and returns the results in the most efficient format possible. For mature applications this can result in quite a lot of those query methods and the ORM than plays a lesser role.

However, even in those case the ORM continues to be a convenience to me as a developer, e.g. because it powers the Django admin interface and because together with South (a database schema migration tool) it makes schema management a breeze.

An ORM is a tool. And each tool has its own place and time. So, yes - there we go again ...