tags:

views:

140

answers:

7

The news about Google Chrome made me think...what applications either tried to and failed or did succeed in changing the way that type of application was designed, constructed, or used? I would be interested in learning about those changes and how they came about.

I'm mostly looking for open-source applications, but anything where I can read about the design and implementation decisions that went into it would be great.

+1  A: 

VisiCalc

Chris Upchurch
+2  A: 

Here's a handful of 'em:-

kronoz
+2  A: 

Doesn't seem to let me have links with parens in 'em!!! Sorry.

Doom

Mosaic

Looks like it works if you use ascii codes (%28 for left paren and %29 for right paren).

Chris Upchurch
A: 

Looks like it works if you use ascii codes (%28 for left paren and %29 for right paren).

Thanks! Done.

kronoz
+2  A: 

The Linux kernel.

Xavier Nodet
A: 

TextMate for OSX, with its bundles and code completion. Some people don't like it, but I think in the future those features will become as common as syntax highlighting.

indivent
A: 

VMWare

When I saw the first virtual machines a few years ago, my head asplode. Completely revolutionized the way I develop and test. And it has completely revolutionized the IT back room.

Simon Gillbee