Windows is the first thing I can think of that used the word "application" in that way, I think even back before Windows could be considered an OS (and had a dependency on MS-DOS). Back then, the Windows API referred to the Application Programming Interface.

Here's a Windows 3.1 programming guide from 1992 that freely refers to programs as applications:

Common dialog boxes make it easier for you to develop applications for the Microsoft Windows operating system. A common dialog box is a dialog box that an application displays by calling a single function rather than by creating a dialog box procedure and a resource file containing a dialog box template.

[–] Gismonda@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago

Goddamn …. That is a thing of horrific beauty. I saved it immediately.

(I’m a technical writer so it should be fun to go through this ancient tome)

[–] SculptusPoe@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

I don't have a single problem with the word "application"

[–] 0x0@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago

to develop applications for the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Could they have meat "uses for the MS..."?