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The Secret of It All · Yesterday · 34 min

Why Is a Computer Error Called a Bug?

Popular folklore often credits the term "bug" for a computer glitch to a 1947 incident where a real moth was discovered and taped inside the Harvard Mark II computer. However, historical evidence proves this popular legend is incorrect because the terminology was already in use long before modern computers existed. The expression actually originated in mid-nineteenth-century America to describe a mechanical flaw or defect in machinery. While Thomas Edison used this terminology in his letters, written records show the phrasing dates back even earlier to 1875. Ultimately, applying "bug" to technical malfunctions likely evolved from sixteenth-century definitions describing pests or annoying nuisances that people preferred to avoid. This episode includes AI-generated content.

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Popular folklore often credits the term "bug" for a computer glitch to a 1947 incident where a real moth was discovered and taped inside the Harvard Mark II computer. However, historical evidence proves this popular legend is incorrect because the terminology was already in use long before modern computers existed. The expression actually originated in mid-nineteenth-century America to describe a mechanical flaw or defect in machinery. While Thomas Edison used this terminology in his letters, written records show the phrasing dates back even earlier to 1875. Ultimately, applying "bug" to technical malfunctions likely evolved from sixteenth-century definitions describing pests or annoying nuisances that people preferred to avoid.

This episode includes AI-generated content.

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