TWAIN

Other than being the last name of the author of "Huckleberry Finn," there are numerous other ideas concerning the origin of this term. Some believe it stands for "Toolkit Without An Informative Name," while others argue it is "Technology Without An Interesting Name." Still, there are some who believe that it came from the saying, "Ne'er the twain shall meet."

Though the real story behind the name may never be known, the purpose of TWAIN is quite clear. It is a graphics and imaging standard that allows companies to make drivers for scanners and digital cameras. Nearly all scanners on the market today are TWAIN-compliant, meaning the way they interact with your computer is based on the TWAIN standard.

Published: 2003