I don't think you realize that 1. Most people aren't compiling with tex->dvips->ps2pdf anymore, most people with basic requirements compile with pdftex for mor

I don't think you realize that 1. Most people aren't compiling with tex->dvips->ps2pdf anymore, most people with basic requirements compile with pdftex for more robust hyperlink and navigation pane, etc. features 2. People who want Unicode support and support for modern font files are using xetex or luatex 3. What has been proposed isn't a new tex compiler but more like a package manager for 3rd-party tex packages, using the already established xetex compiler to compile. Whereas historically you would download the whole distribution (or a predefined subset thereof) onto your system versioned by year (e.g. TexLive 2020) eating up GiBs of space, this allows you to download just what you need for your document.