Re: Definitions of Software and Database

dawn wrote:
> I thought I would start a new thread since the other was quite OT. x
> said there was likely a legal definition of software and I haven't
> searched for that yet, but I did find a legal def of database at
> http://dataright.haifa.ac.il/db-definition.htm
>
> "'database' shall mean a collection of independent works, data or
> other materials arranged in a systematic or methodical way and
> individually accessible by electronic or other means."
>
> By this definition, would "software" be a database? It might be
> interesting to see how legal def of software and database differ from
> each other and from country to country.
>
> Anyway, to get this particular thread started, my question is: What is
> a precise definition fof the term "software" when used in the phrase
> "software developer" and (how) does software relate to databases?

Try 1.
At one time ideally machines did what they were designed to do, in one predefined way. One specific purpose.

Enter the stored program and the (more) general purpose machine. By loading a different program, the machine does something different, e.g. weaving fabric in a different pattern. That which is loaded to make the machine do something else (or something at all) is software: instructions and data.

To a loader mechanism, even the instructions are processed as data. To the program executing the instructions there are two inputstreams to be distinguished: instructions, leading to operations, and data, the stuff to operate on. Received on Sat Feb 04 2006 - 11:42:30 CET