Maybe the problem is component-think. We don't need components in an OSS world. We don't need blackbox objects with certain particular interfaces.

As you I eye web services with a very sceptic eye. However, I cannot agree with your statements about components. A good component framework is a Godsend for all developers. Mucking about in the source code to get access to a tiny part of a larger application is ancient technology. Sadly none of the available OSS component techs are up to snuff. Neither KParts nor Bonobo go far enough and are focused too much on GUI components. Java's beans are better, but of course not OSS.