when I started building websites in the late 90s, I needed to support Internet Explorer and Netscape running 15" CRT monitors. Few cared much about accessibility, performance, security, SEO, experimental releases. Clients wanted a 3 page website with few design requirements. I sliced up some PSDs into HTML pages with tables on it, and uploaded it via FTP to a single server.

If I tried to run a web-based business offering that today, I'd get very litle business.