Gawd damn bugs!

From: Fred Cisin <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
Date: Wed Sep 10 12:02:54 2003

> It is ironic you posted this message on the anniversary of the first
> computer bug...
> P.S. For more info check out
> http://slashdot.org/articles/03/09/09/1631250.shtml?tid=126&tid=128

On a dial-up line, I do not have the time now to wait for that to finish
loading. (It's been at it for a while)

If you are referring to the much vaunted Grace Hopper story, it is FAR
from being the "FIRST".
Much as we like to deify our cultural icons, the amusing entry was NOT the
first use of "bug". "Bug" to refer to a glitch was in common usage in
Edison's time, and was used for negative things other than insects since
before Shakespeare.

The infamous log entry was simply saying basically, "Hey! THIS 'bug' was
really a real bug!" Humorous, but not historical.
It had nothing to do with the ORIGIN of "bug" as a term for a glitch.

http://www.maxmon.com/1945ad.htm
is one of MANY accounts debunking that particular urban legend.
Received on Wed Sep 10 2003 - 12:02:54 BST

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