“Foo” and “bar,” beloved Unix placeholders, originated as WWII slang. Soldiers borrowed “FUBAR” (“F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition”) for broken equipment and absurd orders. Decades later, MIT hackers imported “foo” and “bar” as generic variables, spreading into Unix lore. Unaware of their profane military ancestry, sysadmins worldwide innocently copy “foo/bar” examples into production code and manuals. The great irony: pristine, corporate-approved documentation quietly carrying decades-old, profane military slang—proof again that Unix never entirely lost its underground, mischievous streak.
