The lives we live are weaved around the stories we tell. This is true of programmers as of all humans. And the greatest of all stories are origin stories. I will examine the origin stories of software, from simple tales of software creation to elaborate theories of software evolution. And I will relate these stories to the tools they explain and the technological realities we bring about by following them. I will conclude by reflecting on storytelling, on the progression of the above stories, and on what lies beyond. Stories are fun! And they subtly inform us. Let me tell you a good story…