[lucideer]

> There are some features that just can't be developed with local storage as the only option

This is disingenuous. Firstly, no-one is asking for this "as the only option"; they're asking for it as an (exclusive) option. Secondly, there are no features being asked for here that can't be developed with local storage as an option - in fact, the default is for local storage to be the only option. In most apps, the approach is to add sync as an extra, not as the required default.

Scratchpad seems a perfect representation of the developers' motivations actually: it's both a demonstration that the feature is possible but deliberately implemented as a non-default side-feature without integration with the app's main workflows, to discourage use. So the devs can give it as a "solution" while continuing to pervasively track the bulk of their userbase.