Re: Never quite that simple
"programs" - not "applications" or "apps," BTW. I believe term appeared a little later with the advent of java
Well, Acorn was using the term "applications" with the Archimedes long before 1995, which is the date that Wikipedia gives me as the inception date of Java. Not sure whether they started with Arthur (1987) or with RiscOS 2 (1989) and I'm certain Acorn weren't the first to use the term in that manner.
In Acorn's case it signified a slight difference from the "programs" of old, which tended to be a single lump of executable code, called directly by the user. Acorn's Applications were actually directories (folders) containing not only the main executable but also any support files required, other than shared components. A double-click on this special directory (signified by a name starting with "!") usually caused the OS to search for Acorn's equivalent of a batch file named "!Run" in the folder and use the instructions contained therein to launch the application.
I've just realised how similar the basic concept is to the systems such as Flatpak or 0install... oh, I see Wikipedia has an article.
M.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
