Mixing
What is the origin of the term “Developer†in the context of software? [closed]
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
The term "software developer" is a popular term for those who create software. The processes of writing software is often called "software development".
What is the origin of that term? How did the verb "develop" come to be how we talk about creating/writing software?
technology computers
asked Aug 31 at 18:15
davidpricedev
1234
closed as off-topic by KillingTime, Jos, Spencer, Fred, José Carlos Santos Sep 1 at 12:17
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions on social sciences other than History are off-topic here, unless they also involve history in some fashion. While ethics, archaeology, etc. are all connected to history, each field has their own experts who are better equipped to answer such questions." РKillingTime, Jos, Spencer, Fred, Jos̩ Carlos Santos
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
The term "software developer" is a popular term for those who create software. The processes of writing software is often called "software development".
What is the origin of that term? How did the verb "develop" come to be how we talk about creating/writing software?
technology computers
asked Aug 31 at 18:15
davidpricedev
1234
closed as off-topic by KillingTime, Jos, Spencer, Fred, José Carlos Santos Sep 1 at 12:17
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions on social sciences other than History are off-topic here, unless they also involve history in some fashion. While ethics, archaeology, etc. are all connected to history, each field has their own experts who are better equipped to answer such questions." РKillingTime, Jos, Spencer, Fred, Jos̩ Carlos Santos
7
This may be better answered on the English Language and Usage SE.
– Steve Bird
Aug 31 at 18:33
Agree with the others here. This is a question more applicable to English Language as it rests mainly on the definition of develop. Not such a big thing in the digital age, but film developing is a related use of the word. It's also used in connection with developing medicines.
– Daniel
Sep 2 at 19:07
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
up vote
4
down vote
favorite
The term "software developer" is a popular term for those who create software. The processes of writing software is often called "software development".
What is the origin of that term? How did the verb "develop" come to be how we talk about creating/writing software?
technology computers
asked Aug 31 at 18:15
davidpricedev
1234
The term "software developer" is a popular term for those who create software. The processes of writing software is often called "software development".
What is the origin of that term? How did the verb "develop" come to be how we talk about creating/writing software?
technology computers
asked Aug 31 at 18:15
davidpricedev
1234
asked Aug 31 at 18:15
davidpricedev
1234
asked Aug 31 at 18:15
davidpricedev
1234
asked Aug 31 at 18:15
davidpricedev
1234
1234
closed as off-topic by KillingTime, Jos, Spencer, Fred, José Carlos Santos Sep 1 at 12:17
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions on social sciences other than History are off-topic here, unless they also involve history in some fashion. While ethics, archaeology, etc. are all connected to history, each field has their own experts who are better equipped to answer such questions." РKillingTime, Jos, Spencer, Fred, Jos̩ Carlos Santos
closed as off-topic by KillingTime, Jos, Spencer, Fred, José Carlos Santos Sep 1 at 12:17
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Questions on social sciences other than History are off-topic here, unless they also involve history in some fashion. While ethics, archaeology, etc. are all connected to history, each field has their own experts who are better equipped to answer such questions." РKillingTime, Jos, Spencer, Fred, Jos̩ Carlos Santos
7
This may be better answered on the English Language and Usage SE.
– Steve Bird
Aug 31 at 18:33
Agree with the others here. This is a question more applicable to English Language as it rests mainly on the definition of develop. Not such a big thing in the digital age, but film developing is a related use of the word. It's also used in connection with developing medicines.
– Daniel
Sep 2 at 19:07
add a comment |Â
7
This may be better answered on the English Language and Usage SE.
– Steve Bird
Aug 31 at 18:33
Agree with the others here. This is a question more applicable to English Language as it rests mainly on the definition of develop. Not such a big thing in the digital age, but film developing is a related use of the word. It's also used in connection with developing medicines.
– Daniel
Sep 2 at 19:07
7
7
This may be better answered on the English Language and Usage SE.
– Steve Bird
Aug 31 at 18:33
This may be better answered on the English Language and Usage SE.
– Steve Bird
Aug 31 at 18:33
Agree with the others here. This is a question more applicable to English Language as it rests mainly on the definition of develop. Not such a big thing in the digital age, but film developing is a related use of the word. It's also used in connection with developing medicines.
– Daniel
Sep 2 at 19:07
Agree with the others here. This is a question more applicable to English Language as it rests mainly on the definition of develop. Not such a big thing in the digital age, but film developing is a related use of the word. It's also used in connection with developing medicines.
– Daniel
Sep 2 at 19:07
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
The word "develop" has applied to projects longer than we've had computers. Merriam-Webster has the definition "to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time". Computer programs require this kind of work, so the word fit.
Google Ngrams shows a huge spike in the use of the term "research and development" around WWII. I'm having trouble linking it, but you can easily reproduce the search.
The earliest example I found of the term applied to computer programming is a chapter called "The Program Development Cycle" in Spencer's "Introduction to Information Processing" of 1974. The chapter is full of italicized key terms (instructions, program, flowchart), but "development" is not given this treatment. It wasn't yet a term of art, just the word for a process of creation.
answered Aug 31 at 18:31
Aaron Brick
9,17322469
I pulled up ngrams for "software development" and "software developer", and the correlation was interesting. It looks like both took off from basically nothing starting in the late 60's-early 70's. More interestingly, the "development" term hit its peak around '89 and has been in decline since '93 (while the other never stopped growing)
– T.E.D.♦
Aug 31 at 22:05
1
@T.E.D. - You search is case sensitive, and compares "Software development" with "software developer".
– David Hammen
Sep 1 at 13:39
@DavidHammen - It was just a quick search. If you tweak it, do you get a significantly different result?
– T.E.D.♦
Sep 4 at 14:56
@T.E.D. - Very different
– David Hammen
Sep 4 at 19:07
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "developer" (in any context) dates back as far back as 1772:
A late excellent developer of the human heart...
Letters Several Eminent Persons Deceased
There have been a lot of other things and people called "developers" since then. In particular, it has been used to describe "[a] person, organization, etc., that develops a new product or technology" (OED) since 1905:
[O]ur chairman, the reinventor and the leading developer of the spectroheliograph...
Popular Science
As for in the software sense, the earliest example given in the OED is from 1961:
Roderick D. McIver, program developer for the GE computer group will be host.
Phoenix Republic (Arizona)
answered Aug 31 at 19:04
Laurel
2625
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
The word "develop" has applied to projects longer than we've had computers. Merriam-Webster has the definition "to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time". Computer programs require this kind of work, so the word fit.
Google Ngrams shows a huge spike in the use of the term "research and development" around WWII. I'm having trouble linking it, but you can easily reproduce the search.
The earliest example I found of the term applied to computer programming is a chapter called "The Program Development Cycle" in Spencer's "Introduction to Information Processing" of 1974. The chapter is full of italicized key terms (instructions, program, flowchart), but "development" is not given this treatment. It wasn't yet a term of art, just the word for a process of creation.
answered Aug 31 at 18:31
Aaron Brick
9,17322469
I pulled up ngrams for "software development" and "software developer", and the correlation was interesting. It looks like both took off from basically nothing starting in the late 60's-early 70's. More interestingly, the "development" term hit its peak around '89 and has been in decline since '93 (while the other never stopped growing)
– T.E.D.♦
Aug 31 at 22:05
1
@T.E.D. - You search is case sensitive, and compares "Software development" with "software developer".
– David Hammen
Sep 1 at 13:39
@DavidHammen - It was just a quick search. If you tweak it, do you get a significantly different result?
– T.E.D.♦
Sep 4 at 14:56
@T.E.D. - Very different
– David Hammen
Sep 4 at 19:07
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
The word "develop" has applied to projects longer than we've had computers. Merriam-Webster has the definition "to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time". Computer programs require this kind of work, so the word fit.
Google Ngrams shows a huge spike in the use of the term "research and development" around WWII. I'm having trouble linking it, but you can easily reproduce the search.
The earliest example I found of the term applied to computer programming is a chapter called "The Program Development Cycle" in Spencer's "Introduction to Information Processing" of 1974. The chapter is full of italicized key terms (instructions, program, flowchart), but "development" is not given this treatment. It wasn't yet a term of art, just the word for a process of creation.
answered Aug 31 at 18:31
Aaron Brick
9,17322469
I pulled up ngrams for "software development" and "software developer", and the correlation was interesting. It looks like both took off from basically nothing starting in the late 60's-early 70's. More interestingly, the "development" term hit its peak around '89 and has been in decline since '93 (while the other never stopped growing)
– T.E.D.♦
Aug 31 at 22:05
1
@T.E.D. - You search is case sensitive, and compares "Software development" with "software developer".
– David Hammen
Sep 1 at 13:39
@DavidHammen - It was just a quick search. If you tweak it, do you get a significantly different result?
– T.E.D.♦
Sep 4 at 14:56
@T.E.D. - Very different
– David Hammen
Sep 4 at 19:07
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
up vote
3
down vote
accepted
The word "develop" has applied to projects longer than we've had computers. Merriam-Webster has the definition "to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time". Computer programs require this kind of work, so the word fit.
Google Ngrams shows a huge spike in the use of the term "research and development" around WWII. I'm having trouble linking it, but you can easily reproduce the search.
The earliest example I found of the term applied to computer programming is a chapter called "The Program Development Cycle" in Spencer's "Introduction to Information Processing" of 1974. The chapter is full of italicized key terms (instructions, program, flowchart), but "development" is not given this treatment. It wasn't yet a term of art, just the word for a process of creation.
answered Aug 31 at 18:31
Aaron Brick
9,17322469
The word "develop" has applied to projects longer than we've had computers. Merriam-Webster has the definition "to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time". Computer programs require this kind of work, so the word fit.
Google Ngrams shows a huge spike in the use of the term "research and development" around WWII. I'm having trouble linking it, but you can easily reproduce the search.
The earliest example I found of the term applied to computer programming is a chapter called "The Program Development Cycle" in Spencer's "Introduction to Information Processing" of 1974. The chapter is full of italicized key terms (instructions, program, flowchart), but "development" is not given this treatment. It wasn't yet a term of art, just the word for a process of creation.
answered Aug 31 at 18:31
Aaron Brick
9,17322469
answered Aug 31 at 18:31
Aaron Brick
9,17322469
answered Aug 31 at 18:31
Aaron Brick
9,17322469
answered Aug 31 at 18:31
Aaron Brick
9,17322469
9,17322469
I pulled up ngrams for "software development" and "software developer", and the correlation was interesting. It looks like both took off from basically nothing starting in the late 60's-early 70's. More interestingly, the "development" term hit its peak around '89 and has been in decline since '93 (while the other never stopped growing)
– T.E.D.♦
Aug 31 at 22:05
1
@T.E.D. - You search is case sensitive, and compares "Software development" with "software developer".
– David Hammen
Sep 1 at 13:39
@DavidHammen - It was just a quick search. If you tweak it, do you get a significantly different result?
– T.E.D.♦
Sep 4 at 14:56
@T.E.D. - Very different
– David Hammen
Sep 4 at 19:07
add a comment |Â
I pulled up ngrams for "software development" and "software developer", and the correlation was interesting. It looks like both took off from basically nothing starting in the late 60's-early 70's. More interestingly, the "development" term hit its peak around '89 and has been in decline since '93 (while the other never stopped growing)
– T.E.D.♦
Aug 31 at 22:05
1
@T.E.D. - You search is case sensitive, and compares "Software development" with "software developer".
– David Hammen
Sep 1 at 13:39
@DavidHammen - It was just a quick search. If you tweak it, do you get a significantly different result?
– T.E.D.♦
Sep 4 at 14:56
@T.E.D. - Very different
– David Hammen
Sep 4 at 19:07
I pulled up ngrams for "software development" and "software developer", and the correlation was interesting. It looks like both took off from basically nothing starting in the late 60's-early 70's. More interestingly, the "development" term hit its peak around '89 and has been in decline since '93 (while the other never stopped growing)
– T.E.D.♦
Aug 31 at 22:05
I pulled up ngrams for "software development" and "software developer", and the correlation was interesting. It looks like both took off from basically nothing starting in the late 60's-early 70's. More interestingly, the "development" term hit its peak around '89 and has been in decline since '93 (while the other never stopped growing)
– T.E.D.♦
Aug 31 at 22:05
1
1
@T.E.D. - You search is case sensitive, and compares "Software development" with "software developer".
– David Hammen
Sep 1 at 13:39
@T.E.D. - You search is case sensitive, and compares "Software development" with "software developer".
– David Hammen
Sep 1 at 13:39
@DavidHammen - It was just a quick search. If you tweak it, do you get a significantly different result?
– T.E.D.♦
Sep 4 at 14:56
@DavidHammen - It was just a quick search. If you tweak it, do you get a significantly different result?
– T.E.D.♦
Sep 4 at 14:56
@T.E.D. - Very different
– David Hammen
Sep 4 at 19:07
@T.E.D. - Very different
– David Hammen
Sep 4 at 19:07
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "developer" (in any context) dates back as far back as 1772:
A late excellent developer of the human heart...
Letters Several Eminent Persons Deceased
There have been a lot of other things and people called "developers" since then. In particular, it has been used to describe "[a] person, organization, etc., that develops a new product or technology" (OED) since 1905:
[O]ur chairman, the reinventor and the leading developer of the spectroheliograph...
Popular Science
As for in the software sense, the earliest example given in the OED is from 1961:
Roderick D. McIver, program developer for the GE computer group will be host.
Phoenix Republic (Arizona)
answered Aug 31 at 19:04
Laurel
2625
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "developer" (in any context) dates back as far back as 1772:
A late excellent developer of the human heart...
Letters Several Eminent Persons Deceased
There have been a lot of other things and people called "developers" since then. In particular, it has been used to describe "[a] person, organization, etc., that develops a new product or technology" (OED) since 1905:
[O]ur chairman, the reinventor and the leading developer of the spectroheliograph...
Popular Science
As for in the software sense, the earliest example given in the OED is from 1961:
Roderick D. McIver, program developer for the GE computer group will be host.
Phoenix Republic (Arizona)
answered Aug 31 at 19:04
Laurel
2625
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "developer" (in any context) dates back as far back as 1772:
A late excellent developer of the human heart...
Letters Several Eminent Persons Deceased
There have been a lot of other things and people called "developers" since then. In particular, it has been used to describe "[a] person, organization, etc., that develops a new product or technology" (OED) since 1905:
[O]ur chairman, the reinventor and the leading developer of the spectroheliograph...
Popular Science
As for in the software sense, the earliest example given in the OED is from 1961:
Roderick D. McIver, program developer for the GE computer group will be host.
Phoenix Republic (Arizona)
answered Aug 31 at 19:04
Laurel
2625
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "developer" (in any context) dates back as far back as 1772:
A late excellent developer of the human heart...
Letters Several Eminent Persons Deceased
There have been a lot of other things and people called "developers" since then. In particular, it has been used to describe "[a] person, organization, etc., that develops a new product or technology" (OED) since 1905:
[O]ur chairman, the reinventor and the leading developer of the spectroheliograph...
Popular Science
As for in the software sense, the earliest example given in the OED is from 1961:
Roderick D. McIver, program developer for the GE computer group will be host.
Phoenix Republic (Arizona)
answered Aug 31 at 19:04
Laurel
2625
edited Aug 31 at 21:05
answered Aug 31 at 19:04
Laurel
2625
answered Aug 31 at 19:04
Laurel
2625
answered Aug 31 at 19:04
Laurel
2625
2625
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
7
This may be better answered on the English Language and Usage SE.
– Steve Bird
Aug 31 at 18:33
Agree with the others here. This is a question more applicable to English Language as it rests mainly on the definition of develop. Not such a big thing in the digital age, but film developing is a related use of the word. It's also used in connection with developing medicines.
– Daniel
Sep 2 at 19:07