People still build their own computers. Just the other day I saw a (relatively recent) design for an Intel 486 motherboard. The only difference is they don't really do anything with these hobby computers.
The article says, "Discussion of practical software applications appeared infrequently. One intrepid soul went so far as to hypothesize a microcomputer-based accounting program, but he doesn’t seem to have actually written it." So I think building hobby computers you don't really do anything with was already a popular activity at the time.