GoKawiilResearchers publish essay calling for 'malleable software' to replace locked-down apps
A group of software researchers has published an essay arguing that modern computing tools trap users as passive consumers rather than letting them adapt software to their needs. Drawing on decades of research and commercial products, plus their own prototype testing, they propose 'malleable software'—systems users can reshape at the point of use instead of relying on distant engineering teams.
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The essay frames current programming languages, operating systems and app stores as structurally biased toward top-down control, which suggests any shift toward user-driven customization would require rethinking multiple layers of the computing stack at once. Because the proposal draws on historical precedents rather than a single new product, it could serve as a rallying framework for developers and researchers rather than an immediate market change.
- Essay argues software should adapt to users, not the reverse
- Authors synthesize decades of research plus their own prototypes
- Change would require rethinking languages, OSes and app stores together
Source: inkandswitch.com, 2026-09-27
Published there as: “Malleable software: Restoring user agency in a world of locked-down apps (2025)”
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