I still think the shorter length takes something away from the game. While it's not a life of luxury for the players, the impact that the daily hunt for food has on the game added a whole different layer that players today don't have to deal with.
Watching Ozzie bring fish back or Richard Hatch drag a shark out of the sea clinging to his arm, added an element of both physical and social risk that didn't seem to exist today.
I know it's much more cost efficient for CBS to do the shorter show, but it's not nearly as much of a survivor event anymore.