I think part of the magic was that I felt I could get to understand how the system works on a deeper level. I wonder if it is now too hard to get to that level of understanding. One would spend most of the time just scratching the almost impenetrable surface of todays systems
Abstract things stimulate the imagination and guide them. That is why reading a book is a lot more enjoyable than watching a movie.
When computers started showing reality, that is true color, high res photos, realistic movies etc, they became less capable of capturing the imagination.