kärnätet

Kärnätet is a term that appears in some contexts related to early computing, particularly within Swedish-language documentation. It is generally understood to refer to the core memory or magnetic core memory of a computer. Magnetic core memory was a type of random-access memory used in computers from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. It consists of a grid of tiny ferromagnetic rings, called cores, through which wires are threaded. Each core can store one bit of information, represented by the direction of magnetization.

The term "kärna" in Swedish means "core," and "nätet" can be interpreted as "the net" or "the network." Together, "kärnätet" can be seen as a literal translation or descriptive term for the physical arrangement of these magnetic cores forming a memory matrix. Accessing the data stored in the core memory involved sending electrical pulses through the wires to selectively read or write the magnetic state of the cores. This technology was crucial in the development of early computers, enabling faster and more reliable data storage compared to previous methods. While largely superseded by semiconductor memory, the concept of core memory and its associated terminology like "kärnätet" remain historically significant.