Simple Rules for Simple Tools
Remarkably Simple Rules for Avoiding Software Bloat
I have a few simple rules for any piece of software I use. They are:
It must do only what it says it does and nothing else. If it’s a web browser, don’t mine crypto or train AI on the side.
If paid software, the developer must charge the end user in currency and for what they think the software’s worth. Don’t undercharge the customer and then turn them into a product in exchange for attention, PII, or under the table deals to shady brokers. The type of currency doesn’t matter either; It can be Bitcoin, Monero, Dollars, Yen, Rupees, Wendy’s gift cards- doesn’t matter as long as the end user is paying for it. Remember, if you aren’t paying for it, YOU are the product.
I was going to omit this, but it’s stuck in my craw for a while: If a developer is going to charge for their software, it must be a one-time charge, none of this subscription nonsense. Subscriptions encourage lazy programming, unintentional usage, and passive billing. If there are parts of the tool that require ongoing infrastructure or maintenance costs and they have to be passed on to the customer, make those features OPTIONAL.
It must be made with obsessive levels of attention and care. If the craftsman skipped meals and/or sleep to get it made without being told to do so, that’s generally a good sign. If software works up to and beyond major platform changes (think 32-bit to 64-bit or x64 to ARM transitions), there’s a good chance I’m purchasing the next version. I want a sense of permanence in my tools.
Utilize open formats wherever possible. My password manager, office suite, notes, and media softwares all use open file formats, by design. If a developer wanders off the reservation and starts acting hostile, that software is swapped out and all my data can be opened by another without lengthy exports. Interoperability shouldn’t be a threat if that software is made well.
The takeaway here is that any company with an incentive to do more than exchange the best products and services they can make for customer cash is a company on my personal short list to replace. In my opinion, if more software was written according to these rules the world would be a better place.