Hasty Briefsbeta

Needy Programs

9 days ago
  • #UserExperience
  • #DigitalMinimalism
  • #SoftwareDesign
  • Older programs were user-controlled, obeying commands without needing much from users.
  • Newer programs (apps) increasingly demand user accounts, updates, and notifications, often unnecessarily.
  • User accounts are frequently required by apps, despite alternatives like Syncthing and Mullvad VPN proving they're not always needed.
  • Constant update notifications are more of a nuisance than a necessity, with many users preferring to update only when they encounter issues.
  • Notifications are often abused, serving the app's needs rather than the user's, with few exceptions for genuinely useful alerts.
  • Onboarding popups and feature announcements serve the company's agenda, not the user's interest or request.
  • The ideal program, like 'ls', performs its function without imposing unnecessary demands on the user.
  • Many modern apps have shifted from being tools to services with their own agendas, constantly vying for user attention.