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February 20, 2022

13 Things About Software That You May Not Have Known

Software happens to be one of the most common career paths among youths today. A software developer can work on multiple projects, from something as complicated as the operating systems that allow a computer to function to something as simple as an app.

13 Things About Software That You May Not Have Known

Software development is a field that is rapidly changing. Each year, there are new software architectures, new languages, new methodologies, and more! A coding language or tool used today is antiquated the very next year.

Even though the field is growing quickly, there is very little common knowledge about software development among the populace.

You might be surprised to know that there are close to 350 languages actively spoken in the United States. Coding, which is necessary to develop software, has more than 700 languages that coders can use currently.

What is Software?

Software is what directs the computer, telling it what tasks to perform. Moreover, the software makes up the complete set of procedures, routines, and programs that operate a computer system. It can include anything from game development to graphic design, but it is a vital part of our modern world.

This term differentiates it from hardware. Hardware is all of the physical parts of a computer system. Any set of instructions that tells a computer what tasks to perform is a program, or more aptly, a software program.

Interesting Facts About Software and Software Development

Take a look at these facts, which are all related to software:

1. The First Software Developer Was a Woman

Ada Lovelace was born in 1815 and became the first computer programmer.

Lovelace began to work on the analytical engine at the beginning of the 18th century. This brilliant woman developed the first computer program an entire century before the first computer.

Lovelace was an English mathematician and a writer, but she received the most recognition for working on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, a mechanical computer. For her contributions, she is the world’s first computer programmer.

2. Software Development is Primarily Marketed Toward Men

Men make up nearly 90 percent of the software development workforce.

The gender discrepancy is in part because development jobs and computer jobs get overwhelmingly advertised to male students.

Colleges are actively changing this trend, and women should be able to close this gender gap in the immediate future.

3. Software Developers Are Always Learning a New Skill

When it comes to learning new material, software engineers are among the top of all professions. Change is most rapid in the field of technology.

4. Software Developers Get More Money in San Francisco Than in Detroit

Software developers are paid the least in Detroit, MI, and the most in San Francisco. Your location has a tremendous impact on how much you can potentially make as a software developer.

In Detroit, software engineers earn a median wage of $88,0000. In San Francisco, the median wage is between $135,000- $142,000 annually. Please keep in mind that the cost of living varies greatly in these areas.

5. Machine Learning and Data Science

Machine learning and data science are the most popular fields in software development. Having a specialty in data science and machine learning will make it appreciably easier to find a career opportunity.

6. Capacity is the Biggest Challenge to Software Development

One of the biggest obstacles to overcome with software development and computer programming is capacity. Capacity refers to the maximum amount of work that a company can get finished in a specific period.

Here are a few solutions to solve this issue:

Hire more engineers
Try to outsource to you get contractors
Improve the priorities in alignment with software development
Improve the workflow processes

7. JavaScript is Still the Most Popular Programming Language

Following a survey, it stated that JavaScript ranked highest for usage at 49.47 percent.

Interestingly, this survey is that precisely 32.45 percent of the users said that they wouldn’t use a new type of programming language in the upcoming year.

8. There Are More Than 700 Coding Languages

Only Indonesia and Papua New Guinea have more languages in use than that at 710 and 836, respectively. While the top names like Python, Java, and HTML take some time to learn, the niche languages are easier to grasp once you get the hang of them.

9. All Software Runs on Binary Codes

Computers function on a “binary code.” What does that mean? Well, different types of software that run on computers use 0s and 1s for all combinations. It’s mind-blowing to think that an unlimited number of codes can get created with just these two digits.

That’s the primary reason why new software gets developed all the time.

10. There Are Cognitive Benefits to Learning How to Code Software

Aside from becoming more and more lucrative as a source of employment, there are also cognitive benefits associated with coding.

Critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and teamwork skills are valuable characteristics that one can learn as a software developer.

Activities that are intellectually stimulating like coding and creating software have shown that they can reduce the likelihood of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

11. There Are Two Primary Types of Software

Application software and system software are the two most well-known types of software. Application software instructs a computer to follow through with commands from the user, and it essentially processes data. Think spreadsheets, word processors, payroll programs, and database management.

System software is the head of internal functioning. The operating system contests hardware like storage devices, monitors, printers, and so on.

12. FORTRAN Was the First Computer Programming Language

A team under the tutelage of John Backus created the first computer programming language, FORTRAN. This language is still used today, mostly by computer scientists who need to carry out intricate tests in computational chemistry or geophysics.

13. One of the Weirdest Software Apps Ever Created Helps to Share Leftovers

We saved the best for last, with this fact about software being both quirky and ahead of its time. Because people can create software at a rapid pace, the world’s thinkers find themselves constantly trying to solve problems through software, no matter how weird it may be.

Introducing Too Good To Go: End Food Waste, an app created out of the desire to contribute to sustainable living by addressing the issue of food waste. How so? Well, the app allowed users to take pictures of their food and post the plate to the platform for neighbors nearby to see. This would enable the user to share their food with them instead of throwing it away.

Needless to say, this software idea didn’t get very far.

Final Thoughts

Software is a diverse field that continues to expand as technology evolves. These facts may help you better understand software from a technical perspective, and others may just enhance your knowledge of its capabilities. Either way, we hope you enjoyed our compilation of facts that you may not have been privy to regarding software. If you’re interested in learning more about coding and software, check out Amphy and discover more about your future programming skills.