BUG was caused for first computer bug
Ever wondered where the term ‘bug’ came from? Well, on September 9, 1945, U.S. Navy officer Grace Hopper
found a moth between the relays on the Harvard Mark II computer she was
working on. In those days computers filled (large) rooms and the warmth
of the internal components attracted moths, flies and other flying
creatures. Those creatures then shortened circuits and caused the
computer to malfunction.
The term ‘bugs in a computer’ had been used before, but after Grace
Hopper wrote in her diary “first actual case of bug being found” the
term became really popular, and that’s why we are still using it today.
If you have a few minutes left, check her Wikipedia profile. Hopper
was one of the first computer geeks in the world and went on to create
the first compiler for a computer programming language and worked on the
development of COBOL. She also coined the phrase “It’s easier to ask
forgiveness than it is to get permission.”
Next time your computer or smartphone crashes and you suspect a bug, think back to this image:
UPDATE: Graham Cluley notes in the comments here
that although Hopper was involved in the story she didn’t actually find
the moth.
From Wikipedia:
Hopper was not actually the one who found the insect, as she
readily acknowledged. The date in the log book was September 9, 1947,
although sometimes erroneously reported as 1945. The operators who did
find it, including William “Bill” Burke, later of the Naval Weapons
Laboratory, Dahlgren, Virginia, were familiar with the engineering term
and, amused, kept the insect with the notation “First actual case of bug
being found.” Hopper loved to recount the story. This log book,
complete with attached moth, is part of the collection of the
Smithsonian National Museum of American History, though it is not
currently on display.
While it is certain that the Harvard Mark II operators did not coin the term “bug”, it has been suggested that the incident contributed to the widespread use and acceptance of the term within the computer software lexicon.
