[robespierre]

(A side note: It triggers *my* OCD when people use the terms "FLASH", "NVRAM", and "EEPROM" interchangeably or in combination. They are three completely different things (other than FLASH being a special subset of EEPROM - all FLASH are EEPROM, but not all EEPROM are FLASH) and should not be confused. The only characteristic they have in common is nonvolatility, so if we're going to be sloppy we might as well just call the memory in question "core", because that's nonvolatile too. If anyone needs clarification on this point I'd be happy to offer it.)

I've observed a similar type of confusion. Computer vendors may be to blame: they've mixed up the terms a lot, possibly because of changes in how technology is implemented and a desire to keep the same words in use for software and documentation. For example, the word "PROM" was used by SGI for its firmware environment, despite it never residing in an actual (fusible) PROM.

Also a nitpick: Simtek/Cypress/Infineon sells a device with a NVRAM interface and Flash internal storage (it uses a capacitor to run the Flash write machine after detecting power-fail). They call it "nvSRAM". So it can be correct to use these terms in combination. In the end, I'm not sure that users without a subscription to EDN can be expected to tell them apart.