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foo

Started by Rob Loach Jul 16, 2003 at 4:06 PM 13 replies 650+ views

Original Post

219

Jul 16, 2003 at 4:06 PM

Why do many programmers (including myself) use the variable name foo a lot of the time when explaining something to someone? My guess is that it''s force of habit (lots of books do it), but how did it originate? heh, I don''t suppose it originated from poor Mr. T.

Rob Loach Current Project: Go Through Object-Oriented Programming in C++ by Robert Lafore "The question is not how far, the question is do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far as is needed?" - The Boondock Saints

Ekim_Gram

Jul 16, 2003 at 4:13 PM

MR. T.: "I pity the foo who don''t use C++!"
I could just imagine him saying that too.

There''s no town drunk here, we all take turns.
Velocity Gaming Force

Sneftel

297

Sneftel

Jul 16, 2003 at 4:15 PM

foo and bar are often used together, probably as a humorous splitting-up of FUBAR (military slang from WWI meaning "Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition). Nowadays, foo is more popular than bar, probably because today''s programmers have about a three-letter attention span.

Bad Maniac

Jul 16, 2003 at 4:18 PM

quote:
Original post by Sneftel
probably because today''s programmers have about a three-letter attention span.

*ROFLMAO* :D
yeah, Sneftel is right, foo and bar come from FUBAR, how they made the jump to become foo and bar variables in every program ever written is beyond me.
I picked them up here on Gamedev ages ago, I used to use garb and bage (garbage) before learning the greatness that is foo.

cowsarenotevil

478

cowsarenotevil

Jul 16, 2003 at 4:19 PM

Isn''t it "beyond all repair"?

Ronin Magus

Jul 16, 2003 at 4:20 PM

quote:
Original post by cowsarenotevil
Isn''t it "beyond all repair "?

Both

civguy

Jul 16, 2003 at 4:29 PM

quote:
Original post by Bad Maniac
quote:
Original post by Sneftel
probably because today''s programmers have about a three-letter attention span.

*ROFLMAO* :D

Feh. How can you not say LOL?

Waverider

108

Waverider

Jul 16, 2003 at 4:40 PM

All three letter words. Amazing.

TSwitch

Jul 16, 2003 at 4:43 PM

quote:
Original post by Waverider
All three letter words. Amazing.

LOL isn''t a word.

C-Junkie

139

C-Junkie

Jul 16, 2003 at 5:23 PM

http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3092.html

krez

156

krez

Jul 16, 2003 at 5:39 PM

actually, i use "feh" and "lol" (as well as the 8 mantras from ultima 4 if i need that many) more than "foo" or "bar"...

i only use "foo" and "bar" if i am actually talking (out loud in real life) to someone about programming.

antareus

Jul 16, 2003 at 8:48 PM

quote:
Original post by civguy
How can you not say LOL?

How can you say LOL?

Ekim_Gram

Jul 16, 2003 at 10:24 PM

quote:
Original post by antareus
quote:
Original post by civguy
How can you not say LOL?

How can you say LOL?

I agree. I find LOL to be one of the most irritating things said in the online chat slang. Even things like "r u doin ne thin 2nite?" just piss me off. Oddly enough, I always knew of FUBAR but I never knew what it meant until 2 seconds ago.

There''s no town drunk here, we all take turns.
Velocity Gaming Force

sbennett

Jul 17, 2003 at 8:57 AM

A nice linky for you...

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