Hello, world?!

I never really understood why the first program to write in a programming language is the famous Hello World, and it is even the first post that shows up in WordPress. Let the record show that nobody ever told me anything about it, nor did I ever ask. However, it is worth noting that I hate traditions that make no sense at all, although most of them don't, since their meaning has been lost in history.

Still, in the spirit of our times, I asked the electronic "oracle" that supposedly (which also applies to the non-electronic ones) holds all knowledge, at least of the past. So, naturally, I chose ChatGPT (I would never dare ask Google Bard; I'd rather read answers written by infinite monkeys randomly hitting typewriter keys, since they have a better chance of producing something coherent), and, as always, wanting to save time and money, I ended up using version 3.5 of this model. So I asked this entity about the origin of this wonderful nonsense. Note that at no point have I strayed from the purpose of this post, nor have I been long-winded, a fact worthy of note.

MY PROMPT (yes, it was exactly this, and exactly how I asked it – ipsis litteris, translated from Portuguese): Where does the custom of a programmer's first program (redundant, right?) being Hello World come from? It's even the example in every programming book. Where does it come from (redundant again)?

ChatGPT 3.5's ANSWER:

The custom of starting with a program that displays the message “Hello, World!” is a tradition in computer programming and is often used as the first example in many programming books and tutorials. The practice has its roots in the history of programming, and there are several reasons for it:
Simplicity: The “Hello, World!” program is extremely simple, usually consisting of just a few lines of code. This lets beginner programmers get familiar with the basic structure of a program without being overwhelmed by more complex concepts from the start.
Focus on Basic Syntax: The goal is to introduce the basic syntax of the programming language in question. By starting with something so simple, programmers can focus on the fundamental structure of the code, such as variable declaration, printing output and other basic concepts.
Checking Setup and Environment: By writing and running such a simple program, programmers can also check that their development environment is set up correctly. This helps ensure that the compiler or interpreter is installed and working properly.
Celebrating Early Success: Seeing the message “Hello, World!” displayed successfully can be motivating for beginners. It provides a sense of accomplishment and encourages programmers to move on to more complex challenges.
History and Tradition: The “Hello, World!” tradition has historical roots. One of the first recorded uses of the concept was in the book “The C Programming Language” by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie, an influential work in the development of the C programming language.
So, although it may seem redundant or clichéd, the practice of starting with a “Hello, World!” program is valuable for providing a gentle introduction to programming and establishing a solid foundation for beginner programmers.

Well, that's it! I've killed that infamous curiosity. Three cheers for our technological dystopia, which gives us access to all the world's knowledge for a penny. And to you, reader, who wasted your precious time reading this.

Have a great day.