I think the problem comparing to the last turn of the century is the cost of real innovation is much higher (ignoring that most “hobbyists” in that time period

I think the problem comparing to the last turn of the century is the cost of real innovation is much higher (ignoring that most “hobbyists” in that time period were quite affluent). A key difference would be that many foundational technologies were ripe for discovery then, but we are now in the optimization phase.