Booting a Computer

[Charles Martin]

> From: Joost van de Griek <joost at jvdg.net>
> Actually, it originates from the Baron von Munchausen. The Baron was 
> told to
> once have lifted himself from the quicksand by means of pulling 
> himself up
> by his bootstraps. The name bootstrapping was then used to indicate the
> procedure by which a computer turns itself from a useless hunk of 
> circuit
> boards and wires into a useful computational device.
>
> So, rather than "antagonistic" and "warlike", I'd say the term is 
> humorous,
> inspired, witty, and shows the literacy of the person that once canned 
> it.
>
Excellent, I had suspected this as the origin of the term but didn't 
know it for sure.

BTW, I think you mean "coined" rather than "canned" in your last 
sentence there.

Anyway, thanks for reminding me of one of my all-time favourite kids' 
movies -- The Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen by Terry Gilliam.


_Chas_

"The Box said 'Windows 95 or better' ... so I got a Macintosh."