The naming of systems and software evolvability

Abstract

Software systems are unlike most entities whose--existence, persistence, development, and integrity as single individuals are presupposed by ordinary acts of naming. This paper broaches the issue of how naming practices in software evolution may significantly impact software maintenance and--evolvability. We explore how naming in the realm of software is unlike naming of other types of phenomena to which we apply usual human naming practices. Such naming practices have been--naively generalized to the realm of software. In the software realm, naming practices have been co-opted for political roles in reification as well as in the mobilization of commitment and resources.