Introduction

In this chapter, we will review the growth, significance, and future of the software industry that has been created over the past 50 years.

The now global software industry feeds into the wider range of activities that constitute global economic growth. In order to understand and to be able to situate these activities, it is necessary to briefly explore the characteristics of this industry. By understanding the various stages of dynamic software growth and components, a more dynamic analysis becomes feasible when considering the industry in context.