Malleable software: restoring user agency in a world of locked-down apps

Malleable software: Restoring user agency in a world of locked-down apps (2025)

Ink & Switch argues that personal computing was meant to be clay users reshape at will, but today's apps are sealed appliances. The essay lays out a vision for malleable software where modification is routine and users gradually become co-creators. A concrete example shows a team losing workflow flexibility when moving from a physical card wall to a rigid web tracker. The authors explore tool composition, data sharing, and communal creation, drawing on their own prototypes. No product roadmap is given—this is a research manifesto.

Why it matters: Ink & Switch's manifesto grounds 'software malleability' in everyday tool frustrations — the card wall example makes the argument concrete. But it's a 2025 essay being re-shared, so timeliness takes a hit, keeping the score right at the featured threshold.