WOM ==>
write-only memory
1. <jargon, humour> (WOM) The obvious antonym to "read-only memory"
(ROM).
Out of frustration with the long and seemingly useless chain of approvals
required of component specifications, during which no actual checking seemed to
occur, an engineer at Signetics once created a specification for a write-only
memory and included it with a bunch of other specifications to be approved. This
inclusion came to the attention of Signetics management only when regular
customers started calling and asking for pricing information. Signetics
published a corrected edition of the data book and requested the return of the
"erroneous" ones. Later, around 1974, Signetics bought a double-page spread in
"Electronics" magazine's April issue and used the spec as an April Fools' Day
joke. Instead of the more conventional characteristic curves, the 25120 "fully
encoded, 9046 x N, Random Access, write-only-memory" data sheet included
diagrams of "bit capacity vs. Temp.", "Iff vs. Vff", "Number of pins remaining
vs. number of socket insertions", and "AQL vs. selling price". The 25120
required a 6.3 VAC VFF supply, a +10V VCC, and VDD of 0V, +/- 2%.
2. bit bucket.
[Jargon File]
Nearby terms:
Write-Once Read-Many « write-only code « write-only
language « write-only memory » write-through
» write-thru » writing system
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