Template:Did you know nominations/Write-only memory (engineering)

The following discussion is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by Allen3 ^talk 18:17, 9 November 2012 (UTC)

Write-only memory (engineering)

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(original)... that the write-only memory (a computer memory you can write but cannot read) has mostly been known as a practical joke, but it does have real uses and may even increase the power of a quantum computer?

Created/expanded by Spinningspark (talk). Nominated by Staszek Lem (talk) at 18:16, 27 September 2012 (UTC)

I checked the history log, and the nominator is also the contributor to this page. I changed "DYKnom" to "DYKmake", just in case. I haven't checked the article yet, but somehow the original hook is too long, so it needs a shorter version if capable. Maybe another more interesting fact? Also, almost every reader knows what "write-only" is. --George Ho (talk) 03:24, 28 September 2012 (UTC)
- I agree that the explanation in the hook is unnecessary; trimmed.Staszek Lem (talk) 16:07, 28 September 2012 (UTC)

~~(shorter)... that the write-only memory is mostly known as a practical inside joke, but it does have real uses and may even increase the power of a quantum computer?~~ (withdrawn in favor of the next one) Staszek Lem (talk) 16:21, 1 October 2012 (UTC)

The joke is not really a practical joke, suggested alt2 :- Spinning Spark 18:45, 28 September 2012 (UTC)

Well, originally it was a practical joke; exactly according to wikipedia definition, as well as according to some of the sources, but never mind. Staszek Lem (talk) 16:21, 1 October 2012 (UTC)

(ALT2)... that write-only memory, better known as an insider joke, does have real uses and may even increase the power of a quantum computer?

@George Ho, you want a more interesting fact than quantum computers (interesting in their own right) can be improved by writing data to nowhere? You're kidding right? It's the most fascinating fact in the article. All the rest of it is geeky tech speak. Spinning Spark 18:45, 28 September 2012 (UTC)

Now that two more hooks are added, now that any hook is interesting enough, let's wait for another reviewer who can understand sources. --George Ho (talk) 22:31, 28 September 2012 (UTC)

(ALT3)... that write-only memory, devised as an insider joke, does have real uses and may even increase the power of a quantum computer?

I'd suggest an ALT3, as above ("devised" rather than "better known" - better known to whom?). Prioryman (talk) 10:08, 4 November 2012 (UTC)

AGF on offline sources. New enough, long enough, neutral, no copyvio concerns. ALT3 is my preference. I would say the sources are stretching it a bit - in the examples the memory is readable, just not readable by the device that wrote it. But that is what they say, and it is interesting. Aymatth2 (talk) 16:44, 9 November 2012 (UTC)