Posted on 08/15/2006 9:31:36 PM PDT by BillF
Witness the definitive, irrefutable, immutable ranking of the most brilliant software programs ever hacked.
Most red-blooded technologists will offer a quick opinion on what's the greatest software ever, but when you take the time to evaluate what makes software truly brilliant, the choices aren't so obvious.
One of the most significant pieces of programming I know wasn't even software. Before the British built the Colossus machine, which translated German teletype code during World War II, it took the Allies up to six hours to decode a message and a day or more to pore over intelligence, draw conclusions, and pass along information to military command. After Colossus, the Allies gained a picture of German military activity across the English Channel as the day unfolded--intelligence that gave Gen. Dwight Eisenhower the confidence to launch the D-Day invasion.
Colossus was built in 1944 to perform Boolean operations on a paper data tape that streamed through the machine at 30 miles an hour. Its logic was literally wired into the machine. It is, perhaps, the greatest software that never got written.
So where does that leave us? First, let's set criteria for what makes software great. Superior programming can be judged only within its historical context. It must represent a breakthrough, technical brilliance, something difficult that hadn't been done before. And it must be adopted in the real world. Colossus transformed a drawn-out mechanical process into electronics--it was an early computer--and provided a useful service by accelerating coded teletype translation. Colossus shaped history.
Another example of great programming was IBM's 360 system. . . .
(Excerpt) Read more at informationweek.com ...
Care to comment on the program or type of program that you find most useful or that you want to sing the praises to others about?
Browsers are probably used most often by me, Firefox being the preferred.
Microsoft Outlook has been incredibly useful for contacts, appts, tasks, and email, but I wish for a non-MS equivalent that synchs well and easily with my Palm cellphone.
I've used IM (instant message) software (specifically, free Trillian) for communicating mainly with a hard-of-hearing elderly relative. Same software worked well to set up a private IRC (Internet Relay Chat) room for several relative to discuss the best ways to spend our Halliburton profits and identify the best yacht dealers.:) However, I don't generally use IM software.
FTP software is quite useful to send large groups of photos to a temp web page for friends to download w/o causing email problems.
Text message software on cellphones is very useful to send addresses, cellphones, or similar data to others for their immediate use. (Easier than calling them and having them try to write down the info as they drive.)
I've used GPS radios with built-in software for hiking/camping in wilderness areas, but would always want a map backup.
Any FReepers care to tell us about the software that, once we use it, will wonder how we ever lived without it? Or maybe, even a program that helps less dramatically?
I'd have to vote for the word processor as an application. For pure piece of software, the video controller. Because, as someone who did it, let me tell you, typing on a teletype machine is the pits.
OS X?
Most unfairly, the free databases that Buford's company designed for Katrina victims in need of database help, did not make the cut. :)
Word Perfect before it was hijacked by MS Word.
I was able to write the most awesome macros.
Now I waste too much time battling MS Word because it always wants to think for me.
LabVIEW.
The code behind Free Republic.
Cheers!
I guess that I took word processors so much for granted that I didn't even think of them.
Unix.
Great answer!
I'd say Spore, but it's up in the air how well it actually works.
I would have to say that, for its day, Lotus 123 brought the most office applications and made the PC a "have to have" piece of equipment. I used to for cost modeling for everything from mine planning to labor contract modeling. I knew nothing about computers when I went on salary in 1980 and Lotus literally saved my job.
In my opinion, the greatest software ever written is Adobe Photoshop.
ms dos
Macintosh OS is listed as #8 on the authors list, but I'm a PC person. Is OS X the same thing or an updated version.
... and the second greatest is Pixar RenderMan.
I'll second that and add Illustrator since I use both in tandem daily.
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