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