Groups > alt.folklore.computers > #160877

Re: Lights on Burroughs machines

From	"Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com>
Newsgroups	alt.folklore.computers
Subject	Re: Lights on Burroughs machines
Date	2016-03-11 16:25 -0600
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<nbvgel$i5$1@dont-email.me> (permalink)
References	<1990Jan15.173434.5792@virtech.uucp> <729@ncs.dnd.ca> <1990Jan15.211417.17833@cs.rochester.edu> <0056fdea-825e-47cc-af67-a4488e1da575@googlegroups.com>

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"Quadibloc" <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> wrote in message 
news:0056fdea-825e-47cc-af67-a4488e1da575@googlegroups.com...
> On Monday, January 15, 1990 at 2:14:17 PM UTC-7, Ken Yap wrote:
>
>> Speaking of the Burroughs Fortran compiler, many years ago I happened
>> to glance at a Burroughs Tech Bulletin (or whatever) and there was a
>> bug warning stating (something like):
>>
>> "If the 25th variable in the 25th common block is named ZZXYZ then the
>> compiler dies with a spurious error."
>>
>> It still boggles my mind how anybody would ever stumble upon a bug like
>> that.
>
> And presumably that is the origin of XYZZY in Colossal Cave Adventure!
>

ISTM that there are many stories concerning the origin of XYZZY.  See:

http://rickadams.org/adventure/c_xyzzy.html

-- 

numerist at aquaporin4 dot com

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Re: Lights on Burroughs machines Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2016-03-10 15:26 -0800
  Re: Lights on Burroughs machines Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2016-03-11 04:20 +0000
    Re: Lights on Burroughs machines "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2016-03-11 16:29 -0600
    Re: Lights on Burroughs machines tracymnelson@gmail.com - 2016-03-22 09:44 -0700
      Re: Lights on Burroughs machines "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2016-03-23 14:26 -0500
  Re: Lights on Burroughs machines scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2016-03-11 14:07 +0000
  Re: Lights on Burroughs machines "Charles Richmond" <numerist@aquaporin4.com> - 2016-03-11 16:25 -0600

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