Hm you're right I do remember some of that. I remember a lot of people calling for the "gritty realism" variant, which I feel like is just making the problem worse. If I recall that one changes long rests into a week (in a safe place) and short rest into a day. I don't think I ever saw anyone advocate for the heroic variant, that changes short rests to like a minute and long rests to an hour. That's more like how players actually want to play, I think. Neither of those actually change the core problem. Personally I'd get rid of the whole per rest idea. Like, make wizard spells sequences- each round you channel more varied and powerful options open up. Sorcerer spells are risky, and if you flub the check you get a misfire. Warlocks spend stats to cast, and recover with a patron appropriate ritual. Just off the top of my head. There are so many more options than "check off the spell slot and the spell works".