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Nerdy comment from difficult child 3
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<blockquote data-quote="Marg's Man" data-source="post: 394452" data-attributes="member: 4085"><p>The funny thing is that we say we are 'booting' a computer is even stranger than simply kicking it into life. I was first told the term came from the frustration experienced when starting up the old mainframes, then I found out the REAL reason for the term.</p><p></p><p>A switched off computer is simply a large paperweight, dumb as a rock the same size and not much lighter. When you switch it on it doesn't even 'know' how to respond to key strokes, etc. In the old days they were able set a 'programme' by using switches (real switches) to tell it where to go to get instructions on how to respond to commands. It is like deciding you want to climb the wall but you have not got a ladder and you don't know how. So you grab your shoelaces (boot straps) and pull until you lift your boots (with you in them) up the wall to find the instructions on how to climb higher up the wall. It's impossible for us of course but electronically it IS possible. </p><p></p><p>Early computer programmers HAD to have been difficult child's themselves and came up the phrase <em><strong>bootstrapping</strong></em> a computer to describe the start up process. This is a mouthful so it was quickly shortened to <strong><em>booting</em></strong> and when you had to do it again <strong><em>rebooting</em></strong>.</p><p></p><p>Typically Nerdy difficult child</p><p></p><p>Marg's Man</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marg's Man, post: 394452, member: 4085"] The funny thing is that we say we are 'booting' a computer is even stranger than simply kicking it into life. I was first told the term came from the frustration experienced when starting up the old mainframes, then I found out the REAL reason for the term. A switched off computer is simply a large paperweight, dumb as a rock the same size and not much lighter. When you switch it on it doesn't even 'know' how to respond to key strokes, etc. In the old days they were able set a 'programme' by using switches (real switches) to tell it where to go to get instructions on how to respond to commands. It is like deciding you want to climb the wall but you have not got a ladder and you don't know how. So you grab your shoelaces (boot straps) and pull until you lift your boots (with you in them) up the wall to find the instructions on how to climb higher up the wall. It's impossible for us of course but electronically it IS possible. Early computer programmers HAD to have been difficult child's themselves and came up the phrase [I][B]bootstrapping[/B][/I] a computer to describe the start up process. This is a mouthful so it was quickly shortened to [B][I]booting[/I][/B] and when you had to do it again [B][I]rebooting[/I][/B]. Typically Nerdy difficult child Marg's Man [/QUOTE]
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Nerdy comment from difficult child 3
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