Another thing to think about is the metaphors used. Stacks, cards, and interactive objects on cards were really good metaphors that fit holistically in the Appl

Another thing to think about is the metaphors used. Stacks, cards, and interactive objects on cards were really good metaphors that fit holistically in the Apple personal computing systems of the late 80s/90s. You're right that a lot of the computing environment has changed (eg the Internet is like a natural resource and should be assumed). Whether it is needfully more complex is another matter. A key question for designers today is this: what are the metaphors that would work for today's computing environments in a similarly holistic way, allowing users to become "authors"? This is something different than a modern Hypercard clone. I think when people want that old "Hypercard feeling," what they really want is this holistic nature, power, and ease of use for regular users -- not simple clones of the old thing.