[OhMeadhbh]

I initially read this to mean NPM has a pro-concealed-carry policy, which I don't think it does and I don't think is what you meant.

But... Node's culture does not reward "rational" policies with respect to dependency management in the same way that the US does not reward "rational" policies with respect to gun control *. But US gun control policy is a reflection of the "will of the electorate" -- i.e. there are a lot of Americans who want (or need) to own firearms. In the same way, NPM reflects the culture of high-speed, sili-valley web-devs.

I mention both not to criticize, but to comment it's not the tool that's at fault here, but the users who demanded it evolve the way it did. We moved fast. We broke things. And some of the things that remained broken were sociological: It's easy enough to add PGP/GPG signatures on packages, but whom do you trust? What is the meaning of a signature? Does it mean the signer warrants the package/version is free from defects?

NPM is working as designed. Users wanted the software construction equivalent of a loaded revolver. But we got something that was a bit more like a nuclear weapon with a large blast radius. At least the revolver user would more-likely only shoot their own feet six times (or twelve if they reload.)

[*] I'm trying very hard not to start a flame-war about gun control, I only mean to point out dependency management in node can be as contentious in it's domain as gun control policy is in the domain of US politics. Note that I am not making a pro or con argument about gun control, but only pointing out the issue exists. The word "rational" is intentionally chosen to reflect the fact that people's opinions on gun control and package management are often based on personal, often emotional beliefs (which should not be dismissed.)*