ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bastard Operator From Hell

Okay kiddo, let's talk about the Bastard Operator From Hell (BOFH). The BOFH is a fictional character in computer science who is known for being a very mean and sneaky IT person.

A long time ago, people used computers that were very big and very expensive. They had to be taken care of by special people called "operators". These operators were responsible for keeping the computer working and fixing any problems that came up.

One day, someone wrote a story about an operator who was really mean to the people using the computer. He would turn off the computer without warning, delete their files, and do other things that made them very angry. This character was called the Bastard Operator From Hell.

Nowadays, we don't have operators like that anymore. Computers have become much easier to use, and most problems can be fixed by regular people without any special training. But the BOFH lives on as a reminder of the days when computers were big, scary, and controlled by a few people who could do whatever they wanted.