When and why did software start being called "solution"?

For some time now I have seen "solution" being used in place of "software" or "program". I'm not sure why, but whenever I see this, it annoys me a little. Maybe it is because the term reeks of corporatespeak straight from the marketing department, but somehow it feels even more icky than "app". I think it's because "app" is a fairly distinct type of program, made for the bottom-of-the-barrel room-temperature IQ normal person - with flashy visuals, but otherwise useless for doing anything useful. Meanwhile "solution" is used for basically any type of software, even libre software, so something about it feels... intrusive, I suppose. Subversive. Intentionally malicious. Has anyone else noticed this weird trend?

>>83174 didnt see it yet. I can see the slogan though "we dont sell programs, we sell solutions". 2 similiar examples top of my head: "the cloud" used to be distributed computing. "framegen" image interpolation (tvs already had it)

A 'solution' is not just software though. Its also support for deploying and maintaining it, as well as support for figuring out how to use it. A 'solution' may even be hosting some web services or storing some dsts themselves. Is there any particular project you think shouldn't be called a solution?

>>83174 Speculation: VSCode has "Solutions" (.sln) as projects or metaprojects or something of the kind, as part of its build system. You create "solutions" in VSCode.

app? for low-iq normal people? isn't it just an abbreviation of "application"? i.e. a program for a real-world task having nothing to do w/ programmer's abstractions. software is always intended to solve some problem - so it can be called, well, a "solution". humans see broadly different meanings in the same word, you'd better stop caring. >>83182 solutions are visual studio projects. vscode uses whatever build system you configure.

OP here. I have looked into it and it seems that in the corporate world, they make a distinction between "product" and "solution". Solution is what software looks like to a sane person: a problem is identified and then a program is written/tailored to address it. It has a real reason to exist. There might be aspects like integrations to pre-existing systems, but that is just par for the course if it is supposed to work alongside them. Product is what they call the generic software they create for the masses. Think something like Adobe programs, or video games - nobody specifically asked for it, but they made it anyway and then went looking for customers to buy it. The reason to exist is flipped on it's head, instead of addressing a concrete problem, it addresses a perceived market trend - it is a solution is search of problems. It is the same difference between a mass-produced industrialized good and a purpose-built good. The distinction is almost philosophical in a way: "What were the motivations behind the creation?" I think "solution" bother me because it comes off as pretentious. Like it is trying to pretend to be something special when it is just regular software with an actual reason to be created, rather than random code hoping to be sold to a sucker later on. The word might seem like a big deal for corporations, but that's because they have been too used to their backwards business model of first producing, then seeing if anyone is buying. While it is true that practically all libre software is available for anyone to use, if you look at their history, they all started to address the creator's own problems, who then decided to share it in case anyone else had the same issue. The aspects of deploying and integrating and maintaining are DIY, so it makes sense companies would try to capitalize on this part.

>>83189 I do like having some distinction, merely calling everything a program sort of misses the massive differences between cat, photoshop and the linux kernel. What words/classes would you use ?

>>83193 utility, photoshop, and kernel?

>>83199 thanks for making me feel stupid that should have been obvious lol

>>83174 it's a solution to my gooning

I've always seen programming as coming up to solutions for problems. Not that I'd ever call software a solution, but at it's core, that's what it is. I don't think that's how corporate sees it, though.

>>83193 >the massive differences between cat, photoshop and the linux kernel. shell utility, image editor, motherfucking kernel. plus, these names are self-explanatory, what the fuarrrk am i supposed to think when i see 'solution'?

>>83174 software is the final solution to the malware question

>>83174 It's a corporate buzzword that's not used solely for software, just the other day I saw a picture of a transportation company's truck with the word "distribution" being used as part of the slogan, suddenly after they were acquired by a bigger company, it turned into "solution". I expect it's some kind of fashionable term for enterprise to use that they believe attracts investors.

>reeks of corporatespeak straight from the marketing department This. You answered your own question. I’ve only ever heard “solution” used at work by vendors to describe themselves in sales pitches disguised as “support” meetings or tech conferences.

>>83174 >>83189 If there's a solution then there is a problem. A problem, you say? Yes, and it's stressful because it implies that you're living in a problem and they have the solution, the key out. Like a prophetic savior leading the way to a better life. The entire point of the current consumer society is to constantly dig to find new problems, to create a need, to force the consuming of something, the use of another thing. That's at the core of the life and death of a brand, the perpetual creation of a need. So they tell you they have the solution and you better start paying attention. It begets anxiety and even somehow a slight fear of missing out on a very useful suite of tools that would really improve your life. Another implication is that only a fool would refuse to look into what is celebrated as an efficient and rich solution. You don't want to be that fool, do you? If you refuse the solution, you will not be helped. If you refuse the salvation, you will not be saved. In both cases you are the culprit. The pressure is on you and you alone who ungratefully rejected the generous help.

It's called a solution because it literally is a solution to a program. Without a practical outcome it's just a bunch of elecrical noise. a solution is generally more than a single "application". An application is a orcestration of data for a task . a solution is the overall goal the orchestration of data achieves. Without the guiding light of a solution - orcestrating data is pointless. Encrypting your terrabytes of porn is a 'solution'.

>>83189 >nobody specifically asked for it, but they made it anyway and then went looking for customers to buy it. The reason to exist is flipped on it's head, instead of addressing a concrete problem, it addresses a perceived market trend - it is a solution is search of problems. But what's the issue with this? Nobody asks for a particular book or show, people make them and then go selling them if others like it.

it's irritating and annoying because any piece of software is just another problem, not at all a solution.