I have to say, I can't disagree with this more. Particularly using the current Honda situation to make your point.
HUGE chunks of the current F1 power units are extremely prescriptive and prevent creativity and innovation. But in other areas (particularly with respect to the combustion process and more specifically lean burn efficiency) is pretty much open (some restrictions still exist). Honda's problem isn't that they "didn't read the instructions property", rather their failure is in an area of innovation and pure "secret sauce" closely held secrets. Honda (and to a degree until recently Ferrari and still Renault) lost the innovation race to Mercedes and are still trying to figure it out.
I have to get a bit of a chuckle around the "allowing people to innovate" will be the solution to F1's problems. The fact that Mercedes innovations have been so good that nobody else can really figure it out is a large part (other issues exist as well) of why we are where we are today (domination and lack of good racing).
What I think people like is innovation that is something they can touch and feel. Mid-engine cars, ground effects, wings, etc. Those are things that are visually different and people can wrap their mind around them and say "clever, I can see how that might work". But stuff like lean burn pre combustion chambers, flame jet ignition, and now the potential for burning the vapors from special oil additives in the engines to aid in combustion are just... too deep and technical for people to appreciate the cleverness, ingenuity and innovation it represents. It is just a black box that looks just like that other black box the other guy uses.
That is not saying I like the current situation or think we should have a spec solution for everything. I am just saying what you wish for is already here... to a degree.
Note: I feel anymore that all I do is post contrary opinions to other people's posts. I am feeling like I need to take a break from this forum as I don't want to just be "negative" all the time.
Richard