Sometimes I wonder too, but your list of exceptions already points to why it's not likely to be true. The datasets that "regular" Excel users mangle easily can consume many megabytes. Write a document, add some graphics... remember how slowly JPEGs used to render?

I fully share the nostalgia though, but as a practical matter I don't think your statement is true.

I wrote some amazing papers in Signum! at the time, pushed the LDW spreadsheet to its limits, wrote cool stuff in GFA Basic, fondly remember the Tempus editor, learned C with Turbo C... it was magical, but for getting stuff done I don't I'd want to go back.

I'd love to reclaim some of that magic for today's world.