Not only is this preference not restricted to compiler programming, but it's not even restricted to programming. Try to count 4 seconds, if you start at 1 you

Not only is this preference not restricted to compiler programming, but it's not even restricted to programming. Try to count 4 seconds, if you start at 1 you messed up. Babies start at 0 years old. Etc.. I do agree it's a convention though. Months and years start at 1, but especially for years, only intervals are meaningful, so it doesn't really matter what zero is (even though christ is totally king)