Hey there – we started requiring passwords many years ago, but the service originally launched without requiring a password or email address. You can read more about it here: http://blog.instapaper.com/post/2318776738
I'm not sure how requiring a minimum password length of 1 character solves anything. Just tried it out and apparently 'a' is an acceptable password.
The article hammers on accessiblity over security and I think you've taken this too far. A minimum password length of 8 is not a 'strange requirement'.
Password requirements don't really protect the business, they protect the user, and if the user isn't interested in protecting their data, why should the company force them to care?
Yeah, I just don't see the risk here. I don't keep my old magazines in a safe. They go under the coffee table, and then they go outside to the recycling bin.
The article hammers on accessiblity over security and I think you've taken this too far. A minimum password length of 8 is not a 'strange requirement'.