Nice article. I remember reading about CORBA in uni days. The article summarized it well as it became a bulky technology with very length and confusing documentation. Industry on the other hand, was ready to adopt simpler technology that focused on web-based protocols, like HTTP (HTTPS). Then SOA came and it changed the landscape completely with REST-based services, that relied on HTTP protocol themselves. Finally, it comes down to simplicity. A technology that is too complex to implement and understand will not easily meet demands of constant change and innovation. Hence, as mentioned, it is reduced to a niche technology.