RIP: Betty Holberton

From: John Lawson <jpl15_at_panix.com>
Date: Wed Dec 12 07:01:11 2001

On Wed, 12 Dec 2001, Douglas Quebbeman wrote:

> > On December 11, jpero_at_sympatico.ca wrote:
> > > Look to /.
> > >
> > > This is one whom coined the bug and debugging I think. :-)
> >
> > If you're talking about the terms, that was Rr. Adm. Grace Hopper.
>
> She coined "debug"; the the use of the word "bug" to denote
> a flaw in a design was in common use in Edison's time; some
> claim it was coined by early telegraphers.
>

  I, in fact have a telegraphy text from about 1880 that specifically uses
the word 'bug' to mean a fault or defect in the circuitry. I had a copy of
the page up on my old website. When I get the book back out of storage in
late February I can give a title and publisher. This is in the same box
with the 'Century Magazine' bound set that has a (sort of) flying
steam-powered airplane designed and built by Hiram Maxim in England in
1892... the same Maxim who developed the Maxim machine gun, and whose son,
Hiram P. Maxim, founded the American Radio Relay League.

  But I digress...

 Cheers

John
Received on Wed Dec 12 2001 - 07:01:11 GMT