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Subject:Re: A usage question From:Fred M Jacobson <fred -at- BOOLE -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 4 May 1993 15:07:14 PDT
> _Software_ came, I
> should think, from _hardware_ by analogy. _Hardware_ is both
> an adjective ("hardware store") and a mass noun ("I have to buy some
> hardware"). What it isn't (or hasn't been heretofore) is a count
> noun ("I bought six pieces of hardware" but not "I bought six
> hardwares"). Other -ware words seem to follow the same pattern ("Tupperware
> container" and "some Tupperware", but not "six Tupperwares").
A handy word list include the following appropriate entries:
I certainly agree that we use these as adjectives and mass nouns, but what
about using "one software" to mean "one type of software" (rather than "one
program")? This could be the meaning of "one software conflicts with
another." I would use "software" or any of the other "-wares" this way.
Would you?
(Note to Unix users: I got the list from
grep ware$ /usr/dict/words
Have fun.)
-Fred Jacobson
Product Center Writer
Boole & Babbage Network Systems
fred -at- boole -dot- com
