Write-only memory (joke)
Humorous fictional type of computer memory / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Write-only memory (WOM), the opposite of read-only memory (ROM), began as a humorous reference to a memory device that could be written to but not read, as there seemed to be no practical use for a memory circuit from which data could not be retrieved. However, it was eventually recognized that write-only describes certain functionalities in microprocessor systems.[1] The concept is still often used as a joke or euphemism for a failed memory device.
The first use of the term is generally attributed to Signetics, whose write-only memory literature, created in 1972 as in-house practical joke, is frequently referenced within the electronics industry,[2] a staple of software engineering lexicons,[3] and included in "best hoaxes" collections.[citation needed]