Disagree. I've swooped in on programs and done major changes to their filesystem behind their back. Programs that had no concept of working with externally supplied data in a network world. The programs happily went along doing their job, completely unaware that every label was a phantom whose meaning would always change if selected. The contents were appropriate (everything was simple CSV), the proper commands would be sent to the attached machinery.

It's the responsibility of the swooper to ensure everything's put back sane.