Five Laws of Personal Computing

Posted on July 11, 2026
Ranganathan’s Five Laws of Library Science are:
  1. Books are for use.
  2. Every person his or her book.
  3. Every book its reader.
  4. Save the time of the reader.
  5. A library is a growing organism.

Adapted to personal computing they could be:
  1. Programs are for use by the user.
    So no tracking, gambling mechanics, dark patterns, etc. Popups should only be used to the benefit of the user.
  2. Every user their program.
    In extremis this leads to situated software
  3. Every program its user.
    Old software can be stubbornly resilient. Initially released in 1978, WordStar is still used by George R. R. Martin. I’ll note that some software shouldn’t be used (anymore) for security reasons, this is similar to how poisonous books should be removed and/or sealed.
  4. Save the time of the user.
  5. Software is a growing ecosystem.
    Given the amount of actors pulling every which way I think software is better described as an ecosystem than an organism. When we don’t limit our view to a particular platform, software might even qualify as a biosphere.

I think these are still beautiful and I wholeheartedly agree with them. I also think this speaks to a deeper connection between libraries and personal computing.

But rule 2 has set me thinking, because it is so often violated.

Big Tech has killed off or prevented third-party clients (e.g. Reddit, Twitter, Facebook) because it impacts their bottom line, they want to own and milk their users. I think third-party clients are good because they can counter/mitigate enshittification. I also think software should be diverse, different groups of users just require different interfaces and features.

“Mandatory” apps like your bank, various government services apps, messaging app everybody around you uses
Here in the Netherlands it’s WhatsApp, though Signal usage is slowly increasing.
, etc. are in violation of rule 2. Even non-mandatory apps are often one-size-fits-all.

Variants of the second and third rules I like:
  • Every task its program.
  • Every program its task.

Some variants of rule 5 I don’t like:

  • A computer is a growing organism.

    I feel like a relatively static computer (console-like?) is a fine choice too, few people need the latest and greatest. Such an approach fits well with image-based operating systems.

  • A program is a growing organism.

    Again, I feel strongly that programs don’t need to grow, despite Zawinski’s law.

I think the reason the above 2 variants don’t work is that programs and computers are commonly abandoned and replaced while libraries and software as a whole need to keep living.

Librarian Alirexa Noruzi apparently previously applied Ranganathan’s laws to the World Wide Web:
  1. Web resources are for use.
  2. Every user has his or her web resource.
  3. Every web resource its user.
  4. Save the time of the user.
  5. The Web is a growing organism.

There’s also the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics:
  1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
  2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people’s computer work.
  3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people’s computer files.
  4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
  5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
  6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid (without permission).
  7. Thou shalt not use other people’s computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.
  8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people’s intellectual output.
  9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing.
  10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for other humans.