From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!floyd!peri!sbcs!debray
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Title: Re: core memory (i.e. mainstore)
Article-I.D.: sbcs.212
Posted: Sat Feb 26 10:59:47 1983
Received: Tue Mar  1 02:25:19 1983
References: alberta.219

I think it's OK to use the term "core" to refer to a computer's main memory,
even though it might offend a few purists. I don't think there are any
systems with ferrite core memories that are still operational, so it's not
all that likely to cause confusion. This is clearly just another case where
the meaning of a word has changed gradually with time to something quite
different from its original meaning (cf. "prove" in "the exception proves
the rule" : originally, "prove" meant something akin to "test", i.e. the
exception "tested" the rule, threw doubt on it).
Besides, it carries along with it, like the CAR and CDR of lisp, a little
bit of computer history. I think that's great!

						Saumya Debray
						SUNY @ Stony Brook