The next evolution of the terminal (text array of characters with positioning drawing escape codes) was the graphics array of pixels with drawing API calls. The problem with graphics arrays is when you try to run them over a remote connection. For low bandwidth situations, you end up with hacks like downgrading to 8 bit color or disabling mouse-move events, both of which make some interfaces less usable. Then you also get the problem of scripting, where there isn’t a consistent way to deliver input to the applications. HTML and HTTP can be seen as yet another implementation of portable networkable user interfaces, and they are easier to script than graphical apps, but in the end, writing a web app or client is still a hundred times more effort than printing text on a terminal.

Many people have thought of many ideas more advanced than terminals, but the terminals persist due to their superiority at just being simple, flexible, and fast.

It is absolutely possible to “make a better terminal” though. But anyone who does has an uphill battle for adoption.

(context: I was bound and determined to make a better terminal 20 years ago, but eventually gave up on the idea after getting familiar with existing tech and deciding it was good enough for me. Same with Bash, though I still think it’s a horrible language and should be replaced eventually)