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Exploring the Origin of 'Calling Functions' in Programming

By

todsacerdoti

10mo ago· 9 min readenOpinion

Summary

The article discusses the origin of the term 'calling a function' in programming, drawing analogies to summoning, requesting a service, and making a phone call. It explores the historical context of 'calling for' a subroutine from a library, linking it to the concept of 'calling' a function.

Key quotes

· 3 pulled
Calling a function is like calling on a friend — we go, we stay a while, we come back.
Calling a function is like calling for a servant — a summoning to perform a task.
Calling a function is like making a phone call — we ask a question and get an answer from outside ourselves.
Snippet from the RSS feed
On StackExchange, someone asks why programmers talk about “calling” a function. Several possible allusions spring to mind: Calling a function is like calling on a friend — we go, we stay a while, we come back. Calling a function is like calling for

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