It always was. The upside of simplicity is ease of use. Notice that OS 8.6 apparently takes up LESS RAM than 8.5. This is good. There's a downside, of course.
Simplicity limits options.
I've heard arguments for and against the Macintosh's simplicity. On the one hand, it provides stability, ease of use and speed. On the other, it limits options, may inhibit innovation and definitely pisses off some hacks. It's right for some, not for others. This is a case where I believe everybody can be right.