Alime.163
net.general
utcsrgv!utzoo!decvax!duke!chico!harpo!npois!houxi!houxg!lime!glenn
Thu Feb 11 08:53:44 1982
Re: what's a foobar?
I first saw "foo" in DEC TOPS-10 monitor/utility code about 12 years ago.
It is heavily used in most internal PDP-10 software, sometimes as a sort of
verbal poltice, sometimes as a general pronoun. I've always liked it and
have used it lots and seen it in lots of other places, but I'm SURE it
predates UNIX. Seems to me I saw it in some early MULTICS code too, come
to think of it. "Foobar" is actually spelled "fubar" and stands for
"#$&*^! Up Beyond All Recognition." (I should be congratulated for
restraining myself.)
- Glenn Golden
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