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Software vs Garageware - What's the difference?

software | garageware |

As nouns the difference between software and garageware

is that software is encoded computer instructions, usually modifiable (unless stored in some form of unalterable memory such as ROM). Compare hardware while garageware is shoddy, amateurish software.

software

English

Noun

(-)
  • (computing) Encoded computer instructions, usually modifiable (unless stored in some form of unalterable memory such as ROM). Compare hardware.
  • * 1958 , John W. Tukey, "The Teaching of Concrete Mathematics" in The American Mathematical Monthly , vol. 65, no. 1 (Jan. 1958), pp 1-9:
    • The "software " comprising the carefully planned interpretive routines, compilers, and other aspects of automative programming are at least as important to the modern electronic calculator as its "hardware" of tubes, transistors, wires, tapes and the like.
  • * 1995 , Paul Niquette, Softword: Provenance for the Word ‘Software’ :
    • As originally conceived, the word "software " was merely an obvious way to distinguish a program from the computer itself. A program comprised sequences of changeable instructions each having the power to command the behavior of the permanently crafted machinery, the "hardware."

    Usage notes

    Software'' is a mass noun (''some software'', ''a piece of software''). By non-native speakers it is sometimes erroneously treated as a countable noun (''a software'', ''some softwares ).

    Hyponyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * * * * * * * *

    Related terms

    * adware * bloatware * firmware * freeware * hardware * malware * schlockware * shareware * spyware * vaporware * wetware

    See also

    * application * assembly * assembler * bug * code * coding * compilation * compiler * debugging * interpreter * linking * linker * open source * patch * programming * script * utilities * warez

    References

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    garageware

    English

    Noun

    (-)
  • (computing, slang, derogatory) Shoddy, amateurish software.
  • * 1997 , "vak", Lack of Free Software for PP...'' (on newsgroup ''alt.comp.sys.palmtops.pilot )
    • People who spend real money on real servers aren't in the habit of running shareware or garageware .
  • * 2001 , "Bob", Zone Alarm 3.6 True Vector'' (on newsgroup ''comp.security.firewalls )
    • The ones which cause me the most trouble are various garageware sound file editors. One of them will crash Win2K if I run it and run an ascii editor at the same time.
  • * 2007 , "Walter Mitty", Help! Upgraded to XP'' (on newsgroup ''comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action )
    • the simple fact is that most native Linux games are rubbish garageware and that the industry simply doesnt(SIC) care about the Linux community at large because they are generally not gamers but more serious "hackers" and hobbyists.