What Is Foo?

Foo is a term used in computer programming to express different variables, functions and other specific concept commands. It's slang in the industry and can be used as a noun or verb. Foo originated from the Greek word "phooey," which means "nonsense." American soldiers first used the word to describe something that was not useful or helpful. The term then evolved into an adjective to tell something that is not useful or helpful. Foo has been a slang term in computer programming since the 1960s when it appeared in various programming languages such as COBOL, Fortran and ALGOL. It has also been used in other areas, such as chemistry (atomic number 5), military code names (Operation Foo) and even musical terms (Foo Fighters). In the world of code, Foo can refer to a function, a variable, or anything else that programmers use regularly. Typically, the term is used negatively as a synonym for something unhelpful or undesirable. Use Foo in many ways in code, but it is often used to indicate something is incorrect or unwanted. Another theory is that FOO comes from "foo fighters", a term used during World War II to describe a mysterious aerial phenomenon. These theories may be true, and while they may be the origin, they seem to have been widely adopted as a term of endearment. Foo has no negative connotation — it is something people say when they cannot remember the correct word. Foo was a hacker who was involved in the early days of the internet. Many believe he is responsible for creating the first computer virus, which he wrote to infect his classmates' computers and prevent them from cheating on exams. The virus was called Foo. It spread like wildfire through MIT's Tech Model Railroad Club. The club members were so impressed with Foo's work that they started distributing copies at their schools and elsewhere. He may have been responsible for introducing viruses into the programming world as we know it today!