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Modern software has shifted from serving users to demanding attention and data from them. Applications increasingly require accounts, push constant updates, send unwanted notifications, and force onboarding flows—none of which users actually need. Traditional tools like command-line utilities and programs like Syncthing demonstrate that software can function effectively without these intrusive patterns. The author advocates for returning to user-centric design where programs remain quiet tools that serve their purpose without demanding ongoing engagement or personal information.

Needy Programs

Interesting read, but I think the core argument misses some important technical realities.
If you build something that’s purely local, then sure — no account is needed. But the moment you’re dealing with modern web functionality like:
<ul>
<li>cross-device usage</li>
<li>payments or subscriptions</li>
<li>data backup/restore</li>
<li>persistent sessions across browsers</li>
<li>syncing between machines</li>
<li>multi-device security</li>
<li>access control and device revocation</li>
<li>support or billing history</li>
</ul>
…you inevitably need a stable identifier for the user.
You can call that identifier whatever you want — an account, a keypair, a token, a wallet, a device ID — but conceptually it still functions as an account. Some implementations feel lighter or more private (like Syncthing’s device IDs or Mullvad’s random numbers), but they’re still identity systems under the hood.
To me, the real issue isn’t the existence of accounts, but how intrusive or demanding the UX around them has become.