% METHOD: Ask several people from different fields and age-groups the same question: "_**What is software?**_"

% REMEMBER: The answers to this question will vary depending on who is asking it to who.

% WHAT: By paying close attention to the answers, and possibly logging them, observations on the ambiguous place and nature of software can be made.
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Examples:

Jean Huens (system administrator at the department of Computer Science, KULeuven): "It is difficult to answer the question 'what is software', but I know what is good software"

Thomas Cnudde (hardware designer at ESAT - COSIC, Computer Security and Industrial Cryptography, KULeuven): "_Software is a list of sequential instructions! Hardware for me is made of silicon, software a sequence of bits in a file. But naturally I am biased: I'm a hardware designer so I like to consider it as unique and special_". 

Amal Mahious (Director of NAM-IP, Namur): "_This, you have to ask the specialists._"

*what is software?
--the unix filesystem says: it's a file
----what is a file?
----in the filesystem, if you ask xxd:
------ it's a set of hexadecimal bytes
-------what is hexadecimal bytes? 
------ -b it's a set of binary 01s
----if you ask objdump
-------it's a set of instructions
--side channel researching also says:
----it's a set of instructions
--the computer glossary says:
----it's a computer's programs, plus the procedure for their use http://etherbox.local/home/pi/video/A_Computer_Glossary.webm#t=02:26 
------ a computer's programs is a set of instrutions for performing computer operations
Source Pad on [fileflowchart.raw.html](http://observatory.constantvzw.org/etherdump/fileflowchart.raw.html)

To answer the question "what is software" depends on the situation, goal, time, and other contextual influences. Source: Pad on [Multiple Software Axes](http://observatory.constantvzw.org/etherdump/multiple-software-axes.md.raw.html)

% SEEALSO: http://pad.constantvzw.org/p/observatory.guide.everyonescp

% SOURCE: