2.4 What is a "Wally" (and other terms specific to this newsgroup)
Description
This article is from the alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt Frequently Asked Questions. It is maintained by Mark Sokos (msokos1@gl.umbc.edu) with many contributions from others.
2.4 What is a "Wally" (and other terms specific to this newsgroup)
A/D - Analog to Digital (converter)
ACHH - Alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt
a.c.h.pc-h. - alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
ACK - Acknowledge
ALU - Arithmetic Logic Unit
ASIC - Application Specific Integrated Circuit
ATA - AT Attachment (aka IDE)
Basic Stamp - a processor that is programmed using Basic, manufactured by Parallax.
BCD - Binary Coded Decimal
BIT - Binary Digit
BJT - Bipolar Junction Transistor
Bug - [1] A hardware or software error [2] An Integrated Circuit (the black plastic and silver "legs" look a little like an insect)
CAD - Computer Aided Design
CAE - Computer Aided Engineering
CCD - Charge Coupled Device
CISC - Complex Instruction Set Computer
CLK - A common abbreviation for clock (signal).
CMOS - Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor
CRT - Cathode Ray Tube
D/A - Digital to Analog (converter)
Dead Bug - Non-functioning IC chip
DEBUG - Remove errors from hardware or software
DED - Dark Emitting Diode (a burnt out LED)
DIP - Dual Inline Package
DMA - Direct Memory Acccess
DRAM - Dynamic Random Access Memory
DSP - Digital Signal Processor
(E)EPROM - (Electrically) Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
EISA - Extended Industry Standard Architecture
EPLD - Electronically Programmable Logic Device
ESD - Electro-Static Discharge
FD, FDD - Floppy Disk Drive
FDC - Floppy Disk Controller
FET - Field Effect Transistor
FP - [1] Floating Point [2] Flat Pack
FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array
.h - An abbreviation for alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt generally used in conjunction with .pc-h
FPU - Floating Point Unit
GAL - Generic Array Logic
GaAs - Gallium Arsenide
GND - Ground (signal return).
GPIB - General Purpose Interface Bus
HD, HDD - Hard Disk Drive
HDC - Hard Disk Controller
HDLC - High level Data Link Control (ISO standard)
Homebrew - referes to the art of designing and building electronics at home, and has nothing at all to do with alcohol (usually).
IC - Integrated Circuit
IDE - [1] Integrated Drive Electronics [2] Integrated Developement Environment
IIC, I2C, I(squared)C - often written as such since a superscript 2 (meaning squared) cannot be displayed on an ASCII terminal.
I/O - Input/Output
IRQ - Interrupt Request
ISA - [1] Industry Standard Architecture [2] Instrument Society of America
ISO - International Standards Organization
JFET - Junction Field Effect Transistor
KBD - Keyboard
LCD - Liquid Crystal Display
LED - Light Emitting Diode
LSI - Large Scale Integration
Midnight Engineering - refers to designing and building devices at home. Anyone who has stayed up till the wee hours of the morning trying to get something to work knows the origins of this term all too well.
MIPS - Millions of Instructions Per Second
MOS - Metal Oxide Semiconductor
MOSFET - Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor
MMU - Memory Management Unit
MPGA - Mask Programmable Gate Array
MUX - Multiplexor
NTSC - National Television Systems Committee (Joke: Never the Same Color)
PAL - Programmable Array Logic
PC - [1] Program Counter [2] IBM Personal Computer (or clone).
.pc-h - Alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
PCB - Printed Circuit Board
PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect
PEEL - Programmable Electrically-Erasable Logic (ICT, inc)
PGA - Pin Grid Array
PIC - [1] a microcontroller, manufactured by Microchip. [2] Programmable/Priority Interrupt Controller
PIT - Programmable Interval Timer
PLA - Programmable Logic Array
PLD - Programmable Logic Device
PROM - Programmable Read Only Memory
PSU - Power Supply Unit
PSW - Program (or Processor) Status Word
PWB - Printed Wiring Board
QFP - Quad Flat Pack
R & D - Research and Developement
RAM - Random Access Memory
RISC - Reduced Instruction Set Computer
ROM - Read Only Memory
RX - Receiver. Often used with TX.
SBC - Single Board Computer
SCR - Silicon Controlled Rectifier
SDLC - Synchronous Data Link Control (IBM protocol)
SECAM - Sequential Color and Memory
Si - Silicon
SIMM - Single Inline Memory Module
SiO2 - Silicon Dioxide
SIP - Single Inline Package
SRAM - Static Random Access Memory
TEC - Thermo-Electric Cooler (Peltier Device)
TTL - Transistor-Transistor Logic
TX - Transmitter. Often used with RX, as in TX/RX for transmit/receive.
UART (USART) - Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter)
UJT - Unijunction Transistor
UV - Ultraviolet. Typically used in reference to PROMs that are erased using UV light. May also refer to the erasing equipment.
V+/V- - Supply voltages (positive and negative)
Vcc -
Vdd -
VLB - VESA Local Bus
VLSI - Very Large Scale Integration
VT - Video Terminal
Wally - someone who posts off topic noise to the group. No offense to real persons named Wally is intended (the term apparantly comes from the TV show "Leave It To Beaver"). "Getting rid of the wallies" is a common thread on the newsgroup.
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