Yes, the term "middleware" is unfortunate, this is abundantly clear.

> you wouldn't get a new tool simply because you might need it

No but you get a framework precisely because it's "batteries included": many apps will need those tools. You don’t have to use all of them, but having them available reduces friction when you do.

> If Next.js wants to allow you to run code on the edge before your app is called, that's fine, but it should be opt-in

It already is. Nothing runs at the edge unless you add a middleware.ts. You can build a full app without any middleware. I'm surprised the author of the article fails to acknowledge this, given how much time was spent on finding alternative solutions and writing the article.