Cosma / Communication / Media / Software
When done well, software is invisible. — Bjarne Stroustrup, Oct. 14, 1985: C++ Adds to Programming
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Introduction1
Dictionary
software : the set of programs, procedures, and related documentation associated with a system and especially a computer system; specifically : computer programs — Merriam-Webster See also OneLook
Software (FOLDOC: Free Online Dictionary of Computing)
Thesaurus
Roget’s II (Thesaurus.com), Merriam-Webster Thesaurus, Visuwords
Encyclopedia
Computer software, or just software is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it. In other words, software is a conceptual entity which is a set of computer programs, procedures, and associated documentation concerned with the operation of a data processing system. We can also say software refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of the computer for some purposes. In other words software is a set of programs, procedures, algorithms and its documentation. Program software performs the function of the program it implements, either by directly providing instructions to the computer hardware or by serving as input to another piece of software. Software is also sometimes used in a more narrow sense, meaning application software only. Sometimes the term includes data that has not traditionally been associated with computers, such as film, tapes, and records. — Wikipedia
Software (Encyclopædia Britannica)
Outline
Outline of Software (Wikipedia)
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Inspiration
Talks about Software (TED: Ideas Worth Spreading)
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Innovation
Software engineering is an engineering approach to software development. Engineering techniques are used to inform the software development process which involves the definition, implementation, assessment, measurement, management, change, and improvement of the software life cycle process itself. It heavily uses software configuration management which is about systematically controlling changes to the configuration, and maintaining the integrity and traceability of the configuration and code throughout the system life cycle. — Wikipedia
Jared Owen (YouTube Channel)
Jared Owen (Blender Nation)
Software Engineering (American Society for Engineering Education)
Outline of Software Engineering (Wikipedia)
Outline of Software Development (Wikipedia)
Commerce
Entrepreneurship
Software Campaigns (Indiegogo)
Software Campaigns (Kickstarter)
Product
Software Products (Wolfram Alpha)
Software (Etsy)
Software Gifts (Zazzle)
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Preservation
History
License Dashboard (YouTube Channel)
License Dashboard (Official Website)
Software & Software Engineering (Engineering and Technology History Wiki)
Software Industry (Engineering and Technology History Wiki)
Archive
Library
DDC: 005 Software (Library Thing)
Subject: Software (Library Thing)
Subject: Software (Open Library)
LCC: QA 76.75 Software (UPenn Online Books)
LCC: QA 76.75 Software (Library of Congress)
Subject: Software (Library of Congress)
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Participation
Make software that you want to use and that you would want to use often. As long as you are making something that you want to use, then your heart will be in it. — Cabel Sasser, Sink or Swim, SXSW 2006
Education
Software Engineering (Crash Course Computer Science, YouTube Video)
Computer Science Field Guide: Software Engineering (Computer Science Education Research Group, University of Canterbury)
Computer Science Field Guide (Computer Science Education Research Group, University of Canterbury, YouTube Playlist)
MERLOT: Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching
OER Commons: Open Educational Resources
Course
Software Engineering (MIT OpenCourseWare)
Software Engineering Courses (edX)
Community
Occupation
CareerOneStop, YouTube Channel (U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration)
CareerOneStop, Official Website (U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration)
Software Developers (CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration)
Software Developers (Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Organization
Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA)
ACM Special Interest Group on Software Engineering (ACM SIGSOFT)
Software Engineering (American Society for Engineering Education)
News
Software News (Communications of the ACM)
ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology
ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes
Software (JSTOR)
Software (Science Daily)
Recent News from Science Daily …
- Scientists discover AI can make humans more...on March 16, 2026 at 12:59 am
Artificial intelligence is often portrayed as a tool that replaces human work, but new research from Swansea University suggests a far more exciting role: creative collaborator. In a large study with more than 800 participants designing virtual cars, researchers found that AI-generated design galleries sparked deeper engagement, longer exploration, and better results.
- Scientists build a “periodic table” for AIon March 3, 2026 at 7:57 pm
Choosing the right method for multimodal AI—systems that combine text, images, and more—has long been trial and error. Emory physicists created a unifying mathematical framework that shows many AI techniques rely on the same core idea: compress data while preserving what’s most predictive. Their “control knob” approach helps researchers design better algorithms, use less data, and avoid wasted computing power. The team believes it could pave the way for more accurate, efficient, and […]
- Unbreakable? Researchers warn quantum computers...on January 20, 2026 at 2:03 pm
Quantum computers could revolutionize everything from drug discovery to business analytics—but their incredible power also makes them surprisingly vulnerable. New research from Penn State warns that today’s quantum machines are not just futuristic tools, but potential gold mines for hackers. The study reveals that weaknesses can exist not only in software, but deep within the physical hardware itself, where valuable algorithms and sensitive data may be exposed.
- Scientists reveal a tiny brain chip that streams...on December 10, 2025 at 4:54 am
BISC is an ultra-thin neural implant that creates a high-bandwidth wireless link between the brain and computers. Its tiny single-chip design packs tens of thousands of electrodes and supports advanced AI models for decoding movement, perception, and intent. Initial clinical work shows it can be inserted through a small opening in the skull and remain stable while capturing detailed neural activity. The technology could reshape treatments for epilepsy, paralysis, and blindness.
- Quantum dice: Scientists harness true randomness...on June 23, 2025 at 2:59 am
Scientists at NIST and the University of Colorado Boulder have created CURBy, a cutting-edge quantum randomness beacon that draws on the intrinsic unpredictability of quantum entanglement to produce true random numbers. Unlike traditional methods, CURBy is traceable, transparent, and verifiable thanks to quantum physics and blockchain-like protocols. This breakthrough has real-world applications ranging from cybersecurity to public lotteries—and it’s open source, inviting the world to use […]
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Here are links to pages about closely related subjects.
Format Multimedia (Video, Animation) Image (Object) Scent, Flavor, Audio (Text) Haptic, “Other“
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1. The resources on this page are are organized by a classification scheme developed exclusively for Cosma.
