Toaster




<jargon> 1. The archetypal really stupid application for an embedded {microprocessor} controller; often used in comments that imply that a scheme is inappropriate technology (but see elevator controller).

"DWIM for an assembler?

That'd be as silly as running Unix on your toaster!"

2. A very, very dumb computer. "You could run this program on any dumb toaster."

See bitty box, Get a real computer!, toy, beige toaster.

3. A Macintosh, especially the Classic Mac.

Some hold that this is implied by sense 2.

4. A peripheral device.

"I bought my box without toasters, but since then I've added two boards and a second disk drive".

This is not usually to be taken literally but, to show off the expansion capabilities of the Risc PC, Acorn Computers Ltd. built a seven-slice machine (which they called "the rocket-ship") and installed every imaginable peripheral.

In a spare drive bay of the top slice they installed a toaster. This machine was exhibited at various shows where it attracted attention by occasionally ejecting a pizza.

[Jargon File]



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TNX
TNXE6
to
to a first approximation
toast
AI koan
bitty box
elevator controller
Macintrash
RTFM
toasternet
to a zeroth approximation
toeprint
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TOK