Re: At what point does software become an application?

[Donald Le Vie <dlevie -at- VLINE -dot- NET>]

Back in the Classic Age, or Age of Enlightenment, the wealthy often
commissioned writers and authors to pen novels for limited distribution to
their circle of friends. Author/philosopher Voltaire once was so
commissioned by a pushy patron, and upon completing the work, enclosed the
following note:

"Madam, enclosed please find the novel that you commissioned. I have written
it in two volumes. If I had more time, I could have written it in one."

Donn Le Vie
Integrated Concepts

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chuck [SMTP:writer -at- BEST -dot- COM]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 1999 12:28 PM
> To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject:      Re: At what point does software become an application?
>
> Does this manager have hair that makes 2 points above his/her head?
> Because, quite frankly, that's the level of this argument.
>
> Put simply: why on earth would you ever want to use 2 extra words when
> they add nothing to the discourse--especially when the word "software"
> is essentially redundant? I mean, the whole manual is describing the use
> of software, right?
>
> To me, people who think that issues such as this are more important than
> making sure the software itself is usable create quite unpleasant
> working environments.
>
> I had a manager once who was a fabulous editor, and one of her strengths
> was to be able to take large documents and make them internally
> consistent throughout (I even made her a little fun "award" certificate
> proclaiming her "Consistency Goddess," which she proudly displayed on
> her computer). I think she would cringe in horror at the quite unneeded
> inconsistency.
>
> John Posada wrote:
> >
> > 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
> > _________________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
> >
> >
> From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=
> =
>
> --
> "[Programmers] cannot successfully be asked to design for users
> because...inevitably, they will make judgments based on the
> difficult of coding and not on the user's real needs."
>         - Alan Cooper
>         "About Face: The Essentials of User Interface Design"
>
> Chuck Martin
> writer"at"best.com    www.writeforyou.com
>
>
> From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=
> =
>


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