Cynical Software ^new^ Info

Determine what features are mission-critical. If the recommendation engine fails, the e-commerce site should still display the core product catalog rather than rendering a generic 500 error page.

Cynical software can be identified by how it treats your time, attention, and data. It operates on the assumption that users must be tricked, coerced, or exhausted into compliance. 1. Dark Patterns as Standard Practice cynical software

Software should work without tethering users to a cloud server that tracks their every move. Determine what features are mission-critical

Cynical software isn't just "bad" software that crashes or has bugs. It is intentionally designed to serve the interests of the vendor at the direct expense of the user's time, attention, or privacy. According to Forbes , this can manifest in corporate settings where software is used to "stifle creativity, keep people off their game at work and violently push away anyone who isn't willing to check their self-esteem at the door". Key characteristics of cynical software include: It operates on the assumption that users must

The Case for Cynical Software: Expecting the Worst to Build the Best