Talk:CPU (disambiguation)

CPU/Computer

I think we should probably mention on this page that some people mistakenly use the term "CPU" to mean a computer. For example:

my cpu is now a place for me to place my toys... [1]

Solutions offered included unplugging any USB devices connected, pluggng the CPU directly into the wall rather than a power strip, and "blowing out" dust from the computer. [2]

He turned on the CPU. It wouldn’t boot. His mind drew a blank. “Something must be seriously wrong with this day at work” he muttered and pressed the CPU button again. [3]

-- The Wednesday Island 02:48, 5 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Reply: Oh dear, tell me about it. It's funny, because it's never the completely inexperienced who do that either... it's always people who have the desire and intention to become power users, but just aren't there yet. I agree that the common confusion of the term should be mentioned either here or in Central processing unit, to steer people in the right direction. Are we really supposed to disambiguate disambiguation though? (if that made sense...) --Czj 08:16, 21 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]
- Well, you can't knock anyone for doing it, because it's not incorrect. At the very worst it's just archaic. The popular "educated" jargon is an over-specialisation, and it's ignorance of the real world that has made people forget that their own jargon isn't all that there is to language. --ToobMug 22:36, 7 November 2006 (UTC)[reply]
The CPU is traditionally the box containing the processor, memory, boot storage device, etc. That term "CPU" has been hijacked to refer to the processor. The entire Wiki page here is really all about the processor, not the CPU and should be changed - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_processing_unit 72.46.49.124 (talk) 22:58, 23 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Why no links?

Should pages that this page link to be linked back to this page? KingCoder 00:55, 21 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

CPU -> NPC??

Why is there a defenition that CPU is a non-player character? Where does it come? I know that NPC would be non-player character but in what language, is CPU a NPC?

-- Gurnarok Monday, October 6, 2008 at 09:21 EEST —Preceding undated comment was added at 06:22, 6 October 2008 (UTC).[reply]

"CPU" in this case presumably alludes to the NPC's actions being governed by the game console or computer's Central Processing Unit. I've seen "CPU" used in several Nintendo games as the name of each NPC, and it appears to be used in other games as well. Google for "CPU opponent" to see some examples.--NapoliRoma (talk) 06:50, 6 October 2008 (UTC)[reply]

In many strategy games, the gamer slang is to "play against the CPU". I think in this context, CPU may in fact mean the Central Processing Unit. Although this is nonsense, as you play against a AI, whose actions are timed by a program code. If this wouldn't be the case, then games on a fast system would be more difficult, which is not.--TeakHoken193.187.211.118 (talk) 11:45, 7 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]