Taking the Solomonoff Induction route, making a highly compressible version of Windows is EXACTLY what it would mean to have "discovered deep insights into how to build powerful operating systems". Similarly, getting a lot of power out of simple designs is exactly what it means to have insights, at least in the context of Solomonoff Induction (and from there to science in general).

That said, great article. The contribution of complexity from the environment is a major issue, even as early as the womb, and that was definitely an important oversight.