Why do we call computer errors “bugs”? You will be surprised to find out how the word came into existence!! #STEMvee
Transcript: Sometimes we have trouble with our computers and we have to call the company to figure out what went wrong. Over the phone, the company said there are some “bugs” that need to be fixed. What is a “computer bug” and how did we start using the term? A computer bug is an error or flaw in a system that causes it to produce an incorrect result, or to behave in unintended ways. Did we start using the word “bug” recently? No, the word has been around since the 1870s. American engineers, including Thomas Edison, have been calling small flaws in machines “bugs.” It wasn’t until 1947 that the word became widespread in the computing world. What happened? Grace Hopper and her team of engineers were working on the massive Mark II computer at Harvard University. They noticed that the computer wasn’t behaving properly so they took apart the computer and found an actual bug, yes a real dead moth, stuck in one of the computing components. They taped the insect in their logbook with an explanation: “First actual case of bug being found.” (PHOTO) After that, the words “bug” and “debug” became standard in the language of computer programmers! Vee!
