The problem here is that "modern" is usually a justification for regression, relative to older technologies, usually done by people who never bothered to look at the old technologies before declaring them obsolete.
The circuit less traveled. Investigating some alternate histories of computing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlERSVSDl7Y
I'm intrigued in particular by the talk's conclusion about (I guess, again) disappearing distinction between volatile and non-volatile storage. To date, I've been a vocal advocate of hierarchical filesystems (not UNIX, but just as a unit of user-facing abstraction). The talk sent me on the way of reflecting whether I'm not just supporting another historical "wrong path". Lots of more thinking in front of me here. So thanks.