Zope did many things right originally by using Python and including batteries, but it had some downfalls like being unpythonic, having too many magical parts, and being too complicated. Zope 3 aimed to address these issues but ended up being too abstract and XML-based, slowing development. The document discusses ideas for improving on Zope by having a low entry threshold, being highly modular, and starting with finished applications that use Python and a component architecture.