As a computer student , if we are asked about the opposite term for RAM , the obvious answer is ROM.
So here we are just sharing some thoughts on why your ROM is also a RAM !
RAM or random access memory refers to the method by which the data is accessed from your memory . Random Access means data can be accessed from your memory in a random manner , ie in any order irrespective of the order in which you are storing the data .
The opposite term for RAM is Sequential access memory or SAM . ie data can be accessed from that kind of media in a sequential l manner only . Tape drives are classic examples of SAM.
So back to our point , all the electronic memories you are using in computers can access data randomly so we can call them RAM. primarily There are two types of RAM available , the Read Write -RAM and Read Only -RAM , ie RW-RAM and RO-RAM. According to the normal usable of the term , we prefer to call the RW-RAM as just RAMs and RO-RAMs as ROMs.
So bear in mind the fact that ROM is also a RAM , but for your examinations , do not go for this story if you are expecting an A grade for your computer paper
Nice explantion…
Had this discussion in Computer Architecture class which led me here!!
Also I would like to ask a question …
Is hard disk a randomly accessed memory ?
Answer is no…
I know But how because unlike olden magnetic tapes and cassette wherein data is sequentially accessed in Hard disk I can open any application ,movies ,game or song of my choice at any time from a list of many without going through the sequence in which they are stored .For example from a list of 100 songs to play the 100 th song I can directly play it without traversing the list from first,second,
so on…
Therefore here also I can access the data data randomly but still its not Random Access memory …Why ?