How 'algorithm' got its name from a 9th-century Persian mathematician

The first microcomputer named "Micral N" was created by the French engineer Francois Gernelle in 1973, five years before Apple and 3 years before IBM. Guillaume Souvant/AFP hide caption toggle caption Guillaume Souvant/AFP It's a simple word that has developed a sinister connotation: algorithm. For many of us, algorithms help determine what we watch, read and listen to — in the process, confirming our tastes and biases , and creating ideological echo chambers . …