write-only memory
:write-only memory: n. The obvious antonym to `read-only memory'. 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, in 1972, 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%.
Jargon File Version 4.3.1, 29 JUN 2001 =
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