By some definitions, a wom is a memory device which can be written but never read. I wrote the 25120 wom data sheet, ed in 1972, as a lark to see what a signetics wom specification might look like. According to this wikipedia article, it was created by john jack curtis. Signetics writeonlymemory datasheet pdf link reddit. The joker behind the signetics 25120 writeonly memory chip hoax. The spoof data sheet was included in the signetics data book intentionally. Fools joke by signetics of the signetics 25120 writeonly memory chip. This being april 1, 2017, it seems to be an appropriate day to post the signetics 25120 fully encoded, 9046 x n, random access writeonly memory datasheet that per wikipedia. Signetics 25120 fully encoded, 9046 x n, random access writeonly memory cool product report. The 25120 is easily cooled by the employment of a six foot fan. The real story of the writeonlymemory wom i worked at signetics as an engineer from about 1967 to 1979. De1soc computer system with nios ii 1introduction 2de1.
My better firmware faster seminar will teach your team how to operate at a worldclass level, producing code with far fewer bugs in less. De1soc computer system with nios ii for quartus ii 15. Signetics 25120 9046xn random access writeonlymemory. Now and in years past, electronic engineers and hobbyists alike have enjoyed the classic 1972 april fools joke by signetics of the signetics 25120 writeonly memory chip. The signetics 25000 series 9c46xn random access write. Instead of the more conventional characteristic curves, the 25120 fully encoded, 9046. Writeonly memory article about writeonly memory by the. Signetics write only memory 25120 datasheet bald engineer. The joker behind the signetics 25120 writeonly memory.
Initially there seemed to be no practical use for a memory circuit from which data could not be retrieved. One of my tasks in the signetics mos marketing group was to create data sheets for new products. Writeonly memory has been one of the best practical jokes on the. Our pr guy, roy twitty, caught the fever and prepared a hilarious press release to hit april 1, 1973. We passed the writeonly memory data sheet around the office and to our salesmen and found it had possibilities. Remove read only write protection on micro sd 2gb memory card. Interestingly the address in the datasheet, i think, was the original site. Signetics shortly printed up new corrected databooks, without any woms, and. Now it seems that the previously anonymous practical joker has identified himself and stepped forward with new information to correct and complete the story. 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 writeonly memory and included it with a.
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