Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!ukma!husc6!m2c!wpi!jhallen
From: jhallen@wpi.wpi.edu (Joseph H Allen)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: WOM(Write Only Memory): also the SED and the DED
Message-ID: <2365@wpi.wpi.edu>
Date: 20 May 89 04:55:16 GMT
References: <184@berlioz.nsc.com> <1227@motmpl.UUCP>
Reply-To: jhallen@wpi.wpi.edu (Joseph H Allen)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. USA
Lines: 37

In article <184@berlioz.nsc.com> nelson@berlioz.UUCP (Ted Nelson) writes:

>Or we could use National Semiconductor's new memory product:  1 Megabit
					  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>  Write-Only Memory (WOM).  This is extremely inexpensive, has an access
>  time of only 10 ns, and will be available in a dual-port version in only
>  a few months.  If you wish to order any of this great part, pleast
>  contact me directly -- it is such a secret project that we haven't let
>  Marketing in on it yet.

Speaking of new products, I'd like to introduce my new display devices: the
SED (smoke emiting diode) and DED (dark emiting diode).  Actually, normal LEDs
can be resold as SEDs by simply modifying the specs with reguard to power
requirements: instead of 5 volts through a current limiting resistor, use 9
volts (or if you'd like to try to use the diode in the 'EED' range (explosion
emiting diode) use 12 volts) without the limiting resistor.  Note that a power
supply capable of 10 amps is preferable.

Unfortunatly, the SED has several marketing problems:

   * short lifespan (only one puff of smoke)
   * large power requirements
   * slow display speed (completely unsuitable for AD boards)
   * advanced GaAs process makes competitive pricing difficult

However, a new product has been identified:  The DED.  Spent SEDs can be reold
as dard emiting diodes.  These have the following features:

   * extremely long lifespan:  no mesearable degradation in performance has
     ever been observed.
   * low power requirements (only when used in normal operating range:  see
     below)
   * possible use as a new type of voltage regulator:  once the voltage goes
     above the specified 'breakdown' (typically 150 volts), a large, Zener
     diode-like rise in the IV curve is noticed.
   * extremely fast switching time:  all of its display states are reachable
     in zero time (you optical computing people should pay attention to this!)