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pieanne  #76979  Sun, 27 Feb 05 11:27 AM
Hello!
Would someone know the origine of the expression "to boot a computer"?
Thanks!
  
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I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...
Mister Micawber  #76982  Sun, 27 Feb 05 11:35 AM

I had thought that it just came from kicking a recalcitrant computer to get it started, but it has a more sophisticated etymology:

'(v.) To load the first piece of software that starts a computer. Because the operating system is essential for running all other programs, it is usually the first piece of software loaded during the boot process.

Boot is short for bootstrap, which in olden days was a strap attached to the top of your boot that you could pull to help get your boot on. Hence, the expression "pull oneself up by the bootstraps." Similarly, bootstrap utilities help the computer get started. '

  
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pieanne  #76985  Sun, 27 Feb 05 11:46 AM
Ah! Thank you!
You know what, it had never occured to me to make a relation between that and the footware... (well, even if I had...)
  
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