Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!salt.acc.com!opal!art
From: art@opal.acc.com (Art Berggreen)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: What does VME stand for?
Message-ID: <1991Apr11.181253.23444@salt.acc.com>
Date: 11 Apr 91 18:12:53 GMT
References: <1991Apr5.194027.22127@garfield.cs.mun.ca>
Sender: news@salt.acc.com
Reply-To: art@opal.acc.com (Art Berggreen)
Organization: Advanced Computer Communications, Santa Barbara, California
Lines: 30

In article <1991Apr5.194027.22127@garfield.cs.mun.ca> sandy@garfield.cs.mun.ca (Sandy Walsh) writes:
>Here is the RQOTM (Retarded question of the month) ...
>
>I have seen VME Bus used everywhere, and after about 1 year of asking
>cannot find a definative answer.
>
>So far the winner seems to be Virtual Memory Environment
>with Virtual Memory Expansion a close second ( and my favorite ).
>
>I have checked trade magazines and everything with no success.
>Does everyone just agree on this abbrev. and it not have any meaning?
>
>Please help me,
>Sandy Walsh

It's been a while, so the details are kinda hazy.

Long ago, Motorola developed a board and backplace standard called
"VersaBus".  In Europe around the same time there was a effort to
standarize packaging of electronic PCBs.  This resulted in the
"EuroCard" standard which specified that boards be multiples of basic
length and width dimensions.  I believe the spec also called out the
"DIN" connectors we all know and love ;->.

Finally, there was an effort to repackage the VersaBus designs in the
EuroCard standard, thus (something like) "VersaBus Module EuroCard"
or VME.  At this point Motorola and an industry consortium proceeded
to establish VME as a standard.

Art