On Tue, Sep 07, 2010 at 12:23:47PM -0400, James Antill wrote:
> This is goes along with the only definition of application that
I am
> aware of. Postifx is a system service.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_software
Application software, also known as an application, is computer
software designed to help the user to perform singular or
multiple related specific tasks.
...which matches exctly, IMO. But if it's confusing I don't mind
referring to this as "<otherword> installing", if you have a less
confusing word … I'd just rather not say desktop-application+services
+dbus-services+cron-services+etc. installing each time.
Keep reading. :)
Application software is contrasted with system software and middleware,
which manage and integrate a computer's capabilities, but typically do not
directly apply them in the performance of tasks that benefit the user.
I think it's reasonable to define an MTA as system software. But yeah, let's
spell out somewhere exactly what's meant by "application".
--
Matthew Miller <mattdm(a)mattdm.org>
Senior Systems Architect -- Instructional & Research Computing Services
Harvard School of Engineering & Applied Sciences