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The etymology of Unix programs: very interesting! The writers of this page also have a sense of humor:

bc > originally a front-end for dc ("desk-calculator"); modern GNU bc is instead a backwards-compatible byte-code interpreter for dc, but what it stands for is still "basic calculator"

While a lot of the names have humorous origins, I don't see the humor in this particular entry at all? Can you explain?

I was amused that they introduce it as a "[b]ackwards-[c]ompatible [b]yte-[c]ode interpreter". Not sure whether that's what the GP meant.

Ouch, didn't notice. Thanks.

Backwards Compatible

Byte Code

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