>> On Mon, 9 Apr 2001, Mike Ford wrote:
>> > BTW While talking to someone at the Santee swapmeet, he told me the
>>origine
>> > of the word dongle is from the person who invented the short adapter
>> > cables, Don Gall. Fact or fiction?
>
>I first heard the term dongle in reference to a joystick-port security
>device for a game on the C-64. This would have been c. 1982. Even then,
>the legendary "Don Gall" was a persistent rumor. I think someone else
>on the list has already expounded the marketing aspect of the name.
>From
http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/jargon/html/entry/dongle.html
Note: in early 1992, advertising copy from Rainbow Technologies (a
manufacturer of dongles) included a claim that the word derived from "Don
Gall", allegedly the inventor of the device. The company's receptionist
will cheerfully tell you that the story is a myth invented for the ad copy.
Received on Wed Apr 11 2001 - 20:24:24 BST