That's one reason I picked D&D (Specifically 3.X/Pathfinder) magic, because it is essentially a very powerful technology. It's also a perfect example of the writers of a game not looking at the logical results of their magic rules, in the form of the item creation rules.

AD&D magic is still a technology, but the difficulty of making magic items reduces the effects greatly. D&D 4E magic...well 4E has an overactive law of thermodynamics, making mass magic item creation impractical.