Re: At what point does software become an application?

[Debbie Robbins <Debbie_Robbins -at- SIECOR -dot- COM>]

In agreement here, except for clarification:

(according to the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications and
      the Computer Desktop Encyclopedia)



 Avoid the term application in end-user documentation, use program if
 necessary, as in an executable file. Use application when your audience is
 developers, administrators, and tech support and it refers to the grouping
 of the executable files and software components. Application is a business
 task done on a computer, i.e. payroll, database management, publishing.
 The term software is the same as program and is the computer instructions,
 buffers, constants, and counters. You can have application software or
 system software. If possible, refer to the software by it's descriptor,
 the business task the program performs, i.e. spreadsheet, payroll,
 publishing.



 Bill is an application progam. What tasks does Bill do? Bill is a database
 management sytem. Hence,

     "Specify the directory where you would like to set up the Bill
 database management system.

     The default directory is C:\PROGRAM FILES\BILL."



     "Bill gives you the ability to name a location by a descriptive term.
 You are limited to 50 characters."



It is also preferable to use "install" for hardware and "set up" for
      software.



<<<<<<snip


OK, kiddies...thinking caps on.

I have an application. We'll call it "Bill".

Before Bill can be run, it has to be installed. (duh)

I have a manager taking the following approach.

Before Bill is installed, it is "the Bill software"
After Bill is installed, it is just plain Bill.

In practice, it goes something like this (samples are
out of context):

During installation:

"Specify the directory where you would like to install
the Bill software. The default directory is C:\PROGRAM
FILES\BILL."

After Installation:

"Bill gives you the ability to name a location by a
descriptive term. You are limited to 50 characters."


What think yee? I almost agree with him, but then I
like whipped cream placed...well, never mind where I
like whipped cream, it's off topic. ;-)
===
John Posada
Western Union International
(w) jposada -at- westernunion -dot- com
(p) john -at- tdandw -dot- com
_________________________________________




Debbie Robbins
Siecor Operations, LLC
Hickory NC
828-327-5143
debbie -dot- robbins -at- siecor -dot- com

Standard disclaimers go here. . . . . .


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