The title of the post is "Want to Write a Compiler? Just Read These Two Papers." I upped the ante by proposing they just read one better paper.
I think if you had actually bothered to read the paper rather than make assumptions you would find the word "denotation" doesn't even appear in the paper.
I think most people would look at the top of page 7, go "eek!", and leave with the idea that compilers are insurmountable magic. That's all.
For me, being able to read that stuff came much later than learning about compilers. (I haven't read that specific paper yet. Sent it to my kindle, though.)
I could similarly recommend some papers on compiling via CPS, but the people Crenshaw is addressing would just find them intimidating - they're still getting to grips with the basic techniques and terminology.
I think if you had actually bothered to read the paper rather than make assumptions you would find the word "denotation" doesn't even appear in the paper.