5 Weird Facts About the History of Software Development You Didn’t Know

Have you ever tried to write your own software? If you have, you already know how painstakingly difficult it can be.

But what you may not know is how the entire process began. Read on for five quick facts on the history of software development that’ll give you a new appreciation for the software you interact with every day.

1. Software Existed Before Computers Even Functioned

Yes, as strange as it may sound, the first piece of computer software technically existed before the first computer functioned. Sounds strange, doesn’t it?

Well, it gets stranger. Charles Babbage, the man often credited with writing the first piece of software, used punch cards to input each individual character in his code.

Seeing as today’s code contains hundreds of thousands if not millions of individual characters, we can only imagine how intensive the process would be today.

The first piece of digital code didn’t come along until much later when the binary system came along.

2. There Are Over 300 Common Programming Languages

The right coding language is a lot like choosing the right tool for the job. You wouldn’t use a wrench to patch a massive pipe leak nor would you want to use a coding language like HTML to code your entire software.

But it can be hard to choose the right language, especially since there are over 300 programming languages in total. Common choices include Python, Java, C+, C++, Ruby, SQL, and to a lesser extent, Perl.

Each language functions a bit differently, so experiment and learn as many as possible.

3. Apple Stole Its First Pieces Of Code

When it comes to tech, Apple is synonymous with innovation. At least, they are now.

But it wasn’t always that way.

In fact, their first code wasn’t even their own property. Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs stole their first pieces of code from a Xerox machine!

They stole the code (Microsoft would go on to do the same to play catch-up) and used it to the build the first prototypes of the Apple Lisa.

Thankfully this story has a happy ending. Jobs and Wozniak would go on to hire the developer who wrote the software for the very same Xerox machine they stole from.

4. The First Computers Took Up Whole Floors

As time went on, programming and hardware both progressed as well. Soon, the punch card system and binary were both used by companies such as IBM to power massive pieces of machinery.

And when we say massive, we mean it. The first computer weighed 18 tons and took up 1,8000 square feet.

To put things into perspective, the device you’re reading this on is thousands of times more powerful than that massive behemoth.

5. Software Development Changes Regularly

The history of software is still being written. Who knows how advanced technology will be within the next decade?

But one thing is for sure, software will drive the future. Click here to see the future of software development and what it means for you and your everyday computing.

Final Words On The History Of Software Development

The history of software development is a complex and often surprising one. It’s a tale involving thievery, innovation, and a desire for a better future.

What will your contributions to the history of software development be? Learn to craft better code with our list of 10 weird ways you can improve your code!

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