Sure for programming it is the programmer. But for normal operation it is for example the NIC controller (e.g. Realtec RTL8139C) which uses a 3.3V boot PROM/FLASH/EEPROM.
In cases like that the VCC is actually 3.3V not 5V. This becomes more and more common. And in one NIC I actually have a DIP EPROM socket that is 3.3V powered - escapes me why anyone would design it that way in the first place - maybe because the DIP sockets are cheaper than the PLCC.
The real problem here is that there are no DIP FLASH/PROM/EPROM/EEPROMs I could find.