That's kind of a bullshit question. Of course we could. We don't need to re-invent Internet protocols (beyond fixing the mistakes of the previous generation -- IPv4 and DNS flaws, anyone?) at this point though.
Right now, it's more profitable to build on the platform we grew up with than to think about reinventing it. Programming talent and intelligence haven't suddenly declined in my generation thanks to the Internet and PHP. There have always been crappy programmers -- they just use PHP instead of BASIC now.
That's my point. You can be all like "yeah, we're fixing the mistakes of the previous generation". Everyone has 20:20 hindsight. But there simply isn't the supporting evidence that Gen-Y has technical skills that Gen-X doesn't or can't get. Gen-Y massively underestimates how much work had to be done for them to take all this infrastructure for granted.
I think you're missing the point. I'm not saying we're more or less intelligent or capable than the last generation, nor am I blaming them for things like IPv4 (I mean really, it sure sounded like enough address).
We grew up with different tools, ideas and starting points though. To say we take the work of previous generations for granted is ridiculous. For one, it's a sweeping generalization. But what's more, it could be said about every other generation. The old saying about "standing on the shoulders of giants" rings true here. We're all building on the work of others.
Sure, there's nothing about your age that physically stops you from learning new tools or adapting to the world. If you can't adapt, it's your mindset that needs fixing.
Our world has been shaped from an early age by the Internet, and that will have profound effects on what we do with it from here on out.
Right now, it's more profitable to build on the platform we grew up with than to think about reinventing it. Programming talent and intelligence haven't suddenly declined in my generation thanks to the Internet and PHP. There have always been crappy programmers -- they just use PHP instead of BASIC now.