Quoting Michael Carnes <michaelcarnes@earthlink.net>:
They actually learned a lot from a minimal, non-expandable platform (Mir). We built this great fancy, infinitely expandable boondoggle that requires constant attention from the 2 guys stuck up there.
And another thing, perhaps this "infinitely expandable boondoggle" was designed to provide, in a not so subtle way, experience and training in 'repair techniques'. I'm sure the crew of Apollo 13 would have loved to have had some practice time in an environment closer to Earth. Besides, think of the "cool" tool things that continue to evolve as a result of having to make repairs in space. For instance, I have some neat retractable stainless lanyard type devics that my dive computer console and underwater tools attach to, that keeps these things tucked in close so they don't drag about through the kelp and over Coral Reefs.