Impactful code throughout history


As a developer, it is hard to think of which decision about a line or several lines of code which really will make a difference.

Sometimes there is so much boilerplate code.

But here are some excerpts from a list that made a BIG difference...

Grace Hopper’s Compiler
Date: 1952
Made it possible for computers to process words

IF END OF DATA GO TO OPERATION 14 .



Wikipedia

  • Grace Hopper's contribution is so ground breaking it cannot be overestimated.  Essentially creating the manifestation of the easing the link between human intention to machine implementation.


The Null-Terminated String
Date: 1972
The most catastrophic design bug in the history of computing

char yellow[26] = {'y', 'e', 'l', 'l', 'o', 'w', '\0'};



The GNU C reference manual

  • This stays with us even now  - mistakes and attacks based on buffer overruns.


Telenet
Date: 1975
The first public data network built on packet-switching, the backbone of today’s internet


  • Resilient enough for the military; made for everyone's streaming.

The HTML Hyperlink
Date: 1990
The tool that let us connect everything to anything, even the unimaginable

<a href = "https://www.slate.com">Slate</a>
- paired with -

The Mosaic Browser
Date: 1993
The birth of the web as we see it


  • Finally, I could explain what I saw to my dad and (sort of) mom.  


The Like Button
Date: 2009
It catalyzed the surveillance economy.

{"__typename":"PageLikeAction","action_type":"LIKE","label":{"text":"Like"}

Facebook.com’s website as of September 2019

  • Producing the unquenchable chase for stupid, foolish and, ultimately, fatal selfies.  Yay!


The full list + description here (link)

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