>It's impossible to “redesign” shell fundamentals in Unix because it will be incompatible with all other old-style utilies

So?

For one, you could redesign the basic utilities too. Or offer a sumplementary revamp versions of some.

Second, you could use them in a less capable "text mode" and still get all the other benefits from the new shell.

>And classic pipes are not so bad as PS evangelists saying.

Well, they are not that relevant to 2014 either.