Trivial Net - Computer and Tech Trivia for Geeks

Cheesy browser

Question: What was the internal code name for the Netscape 1.2 Internet browser?

• Cheddar
• Brie
• Provolone
• Mozzarella

Answer: Cheddar

Source: Los Angeles Times, Friday April 26, 1996, Orange County Edition, Business, Page 7

Add comment October 31st, 2007

First trackball

Question: The first use of a trackball in an arcade game occurred in 1978. Was the game called…

• Atari Football
• SeaWolf
• Computer Space

Answer: Atari Football

Source: Encyclopedia of Computer Science, 3rd ed., Ralston, p. 288

Add comment October 30th, 2007

The last URL

Question: According to Wired Style, Wired Magazine’s style guide for writing: if a URL comes at the end of a sentence, you should

• add a period
• NOT add a period
• add a semicolon or asterisk

Answer: add a period

Source: Wired Style, p. 149

Add comment October 29th, 2007

What’s my name?

Question:

• Apple //c
• Apple //GS
• Apple //+
• Apple ///

Answer: Apple //c

Source: image from //c manual

Add comment October 28th, 2007

I can buy and sell you

Question: How much did IBM pay for Lotus?

• $1.1 billion
• $2.2 billion
• $3.3 billion
• $6 billion

Answer: $3.3 billion

Add comment October 27th, 2007

To the Max

Question: What company did Max Palevsky found in the 1960s?

• Data General
• Computer Automation
• Scientific Data Systems
• Wang

Answer: Scientific Data Systems

…which he sold to Xerox in 1969.

Add comment October 26th, 2007

George who?

Question: George Philbrick was a pioneer in analog computing. During the 1930’s, what electronic device did he develop that was key to the development of analog computers?

• the flip flop
• the multivibrator
• the operational amplifier

Answer: the operational amplifier

Add comment October 25th, 2007

Early facsimile

Question: Before faxes were faxes, they were called by the brand name of the sending and receiving device. Name this 1970’s era product.

• TCS
• QWP
• XAF

Answer: QWP

QWP (pronounced quip) was made by Exxon Data Systems of Stamford, Connecticut. The device forced you to roll a sheet of paper around a drum, dial the phone number of the receiving machine, and put the phone’s earpiece into an acoustical coupler.

Add comment October 24th, 2007

ADSL

Question: What does ADSL stand for?

• Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
• Asymmetric Digitally Sustained Loop
• Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line
• Asynchronous Digital Subscripted LAN

Answer: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line

Add comment October 23rd, 2007

Mr. Windows?

Question: Who has an operating system named after him?

• Ross Dos
• Dick Pick
• Ay-biem Oh-estu
• Myron Assembler

Answer: Dick Pick

Pick started out as an operating system for minicomputers, but eventually spread to some microcomputers and mainframes.

Add comment October 22nd, 2007