To me, there was something to say vs people posting shit just to meet a quota. There seems to be much less thought/research/editing of content now. It wasn't so gamefied before HTML2.0 and social.
"HTML 1" wasn't really a standard anyway and I don't remember what html2 actually brought - I remember not every browser in the mid 90s did tables, client side image maps etc but they were later additions to html2.
Javascript (which came in with html 3.2) was far more of a step change than html2
HTML doesn't have to be the only web transport. Build your browser and make your own protocol. IPFS is doing just fine.
HTML4 was the last true free-release from any corporate grab. And it has everything youll ever need. However it just sits there forgotten taken by the glory of HTML5.