Malleable software: Restoring user agency in a world of locked-down apps (2025)
The original promise of personal computing was a new kind of clay. Instead, we got appliances: built far away, sealed, unchangeable. In this essay, we envision malleable software: tools that users can reshape with minimal friction to suit their unique needs.
Summary
The piece argues for a return to the flexibility of personal computing, contrasting today’s rigid software with the idea of malleable tools that users can easily customize. It presents a vision for empowering users to adapt software to their specific requirements, enhancing personal agency in technology.
Comments (69 of ) ⌛