The great works of software, an easy to scan (start of a) software canon
“Software is a unique art because it is so reactive. Not just on the screen but over time, as programs adapt and change with the culture—a culture they help define. Software provides identity (consider the Linux user, the web zealot, the “Unix greybeard”), a sense of affiliation and shared experience. The greatest works of software are not just code or programs, but social, expressive, human languages. They give us a shared set of norms and tools for expressing our ideas about words, or images, or software development. Great software gives us tremendous freedom, as long as we work within its boundaries.”