Compiled languages boil down to assembly, but I wouldn't like to write them as assembly files with a few higher-level constructs sprinkled through the files.
You may disagree that html and css are that bad. But I think it was always a mess, specially when you go beyond linked documents and add any kind of interactivity and forms. There's also inherent limitations like "select" dropdowns offering very little functionality and mostly ending up as custom components in all projects I have worked in.
I don't have knowledge about Svelte so you may be right about it solving all those issues. My contention is with regards to the general idea of the article and some comments that seem to indicate that everything was good in the web development world before React introduced a bunch of problems. React did introduce some problems, but to sell me on migrating I'll need to see that the new framework solves the issues inherent to web development, not just the issues that React created.
I do not think that is a charitable view of the article or most people's comments. We all knew what was gained. We just bemoan what was lost, much of which has been found to be largely unknown to more recent entrants into the field.
Folks aren't against solving problems. I think the main concern is the amnesia regarding problems that had already be solved and are now be solved again only not as well.
You may disagree that html and css are that bad. But I think it was always a mess, specially when you go beyond linked documents and add any kind of interactivity and forms. There's also inherent limitations like "select" dropdowns offering very little functionality and mostly ending up as custom components in all projects I have worked in.