The spells themselves haven't really changed much over the passage of time. They still use the same file from back then.
If you are just adjusting spells you already have: check out
GeorgeS' site for the spell editor. It's a quick fix for desire. Easy to use, and less hassle than learning the system.
If you are seeking to make new spells, best bet is to browse through the old posts and jump into spell creation head first.. see what does and doesnt work. Break a few eggs. That sounds a bit like the commonly hated
'oh I know how but don't want to teach you' effect in that it has no real information but, from my experience, nothing beats actually seeing for youself what works and what doesn't when you make changes to the server. That way, when you DO come across something that isn't covered by someone else's programs, you have a basic idea of where to look and what to do.