Byte Size Biology

Well, the default WordPress title for the first blog post is “Hello, world!” I should probably leave it at that. “Hello, world!” is a phrase that for decades has been associated with learning something new; at least in computer programing circles. Customarily, the first program you try to write when learning a new programming language is one that will print “Hello, world!” to whatever output device is handy: used to be punched tape, then printers, then CRT screens; within the latter it could be a terminal window, or a GUI dialog; tomorrow it shall probably be your retina, or visual cortex.

So for a geek such. as myself, “Hello, world!” means the first step in learning something; something big. Like a new programming language. Or writing a blog.  “Hello, world!” is synonymous with the phrase “baby step”: A simple step, yet also a big step. The fist time a toddler learns to stand up, grinning as she lets go of the table she used to balance herself she is performing a “Hello, world!” of standing. She will probably find herself on her butt two seconds later, somewhat frustrated, but the initial step was taken. Later in her life she won’t remember the first time she stood up without any props; standing will become a triviality. But right now, at the age of a year and something, this triviality takes all the concentration and motor skills she can muster. Similarly, a programmer soon forgets that he looked through a dog-eared language reference book just to find out the proper command to write a string of characters to an output device.

Python:

 print "Hello, world"

C:

#include<stdio.h>

main()
{
    printf("Hello World");
}

Similarly a blogger would write something about themselves, their hobbies, passions, gripes and hatreds. Their work, family, loved ones, colleagues, acquaintances. Books or articles they read, movies they saw, other blogs, news, politics, science, music, the arts. But they have to write that first post; that “Hello, world!”

Or just avoid it all by writing a smart-ass self-referential post. This is a small step, after all.

Hello, world!