Hidden messages: An Apple Easter egg hunt
Since the early days of computers, playful programmers have been hiding messages in their code. Much like carving one's initials on a tree stump or a bathroom stall, these messages typically have one purpose: to say "I was here."
In the Atari 2600 era, these hidden digital messages came to be known as "Easter eggs" by Atari engineers after programmer Warren Robinett hid his initials in the seminal 1979 video game Adventure. Presumably, the Easter egg analogy originated because these messages are like hidden "eggs" (or treats, if you will) which must actively be found.
http://www.macworld.com/article/2032517/hidden-messages-an-apple-easter-egg-hunt.html#tk.rss_all
