The interesting thing about the table shown in the article is that even while the author laments it, it actually illustrates a good development: the table has a

The interesting thing about the table shown in the article is that even while the author laments it, it actually illustrates a good development: the table has an "hourglass" structure. There is a stable part (fundamental technology such as the kernel, TCP/IP etc.) at the center which acts as an interface between the top part (hardware) and the bottom part (languages). All innovation has to be anchored to some core set of stable interfaces into which the new innovations "plug in". The nature of OSs is such that they are naturally part of these core sets. That may be frustrating for OS researchers, but they'll have to learn to live with it.