Title :
Early Commercial Electronic Distribution of Software
Author :
Stachniak, Zbigniew
Author_Institution :
York Univ., Toronto, ON, Canada
Abstract :
Commercial electronic distribution of software (EDS) originated in the second half of the 1970s. By the early 1980s, several North American and European companies were already distributing software using common communications networks. However, it would take two more decades before EDS would become the foremost software delivery model. This article charts the development of the early commercial EDS industry in North America, focusing on cable television-based, direct-to-home services.
Keywords :
DP industry; cable television; history; software packages; EDS; European companies; North American companies; cable television-based direct-to-home services; communications networks; early commercial electronic distribution of software; software delivery model; software distribution; Commercialization; Consumer electronics; Marketing and sales; Microcomputers; Software development; Software documentation; Teletext; NABU; TGN; electronic delivery of software; history of computing; telesoftware; teletext; videotext;
Journal_Title :
Annals of the History of Computing, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/MAHC.2013.55
