>Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:14:26 -0700 >From: Mark Boolootian <[email protected]> >To: Lloyd Wood <[email protected]> >Cc: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] >Subject: Re: wee tee cee pee (or "Worlds Tiniest Web Server") >Reply-To: [email protected] >Mail-Followup-To: Lloyd Wood <[email protected]>, [email protected], > [email protected], [email protected] >Sender: [email protected] > > >> > If memory serves, the term "byte" was invented by IBM when >> > they designed the Stretch computer. >> >> by Werner Buchholz, in fact. 1956. > >Some further support from the web: > > The term BYTE was coined in 1956 by Dr. Werner Buchholz of IBM. A > question-and-answer session at an ACM conference on the history of > programming languages included this exchange: > > JOHN GOODENOUGH: You mentioned that the term "byte" is used in JOVIAL. > Where did the term come from? > > JULES SCHWARTZ (inventor of JOVIAL): As I recall, the AN/FSQ-31, a > totally different computer than the 709, was byte oriented. I don't > recall for sure, but I'm reasonably certain the description of that > computer included the word "byte," and we used it. > > FRED BROOKS: May I speak to that? Werner Buchholz coined the word as part > of the definition of STRETCH, and the AN/FSQ-31 picked it up from > STRETCH, but Werner is very definitely the author of that word. > > SCHWARTZ: That's right. Thank you. > > >Culled from http://members.aol.com/jeff570/b.html
