open,
remote updatable,
sandboxed,
cross-platform,
app platform
The problem isn't that we haven't faithfully accomplished all of those ideals set forth. The problem is that there were much too few, sophisticated enough to appreciate what was placed before them.
And amongst the miniscule audience that did understand what lay in their hands, half chose to abuse the unwashed masses that didn't tend to the honor system that stood in place of proper techincal security practices at the time.
Were such things simply way too far ahead of their time, lost on a market too immature for such luxuries to be made generally available?
Will there ever be a time when people care enough about anything other than instant messaging, to invest hours learning the intricacies of how to make a VCR stop flashing 12:00 AM?