For icons and some aspects of functionality why not as a starting place?

Where it falls down is when designers force too many of the paradigms of the RL original onto a platform that doesn't suit it [0].

[0] See for example the Mac OS X Address Book app https://www.betalogue.com/2012/01/15/abook6-dumb/.

There's nothing wrong with either of those.

No different than "windows" or "desktops" or "files." When was the last time you actually saw a file folder? Or a document separated by sheets with "tabs."

95% of computer users have never seen an ethernet cable, but they're still the symbol for networking.

99% of car drivers have never seen brake calipers, but they're part of the icon when my car's parking brake is on.