multiload

English

Etymology

From multi- +‎ load.

Pronunciation

Audio (UK): (file)

Noun

multiload (plural multiloads)

(computing, dated) A computer program that loads its code and data in a number of separate stages, typically to work around memory constraints.
- 1989 May, “A Rock Star Ate My Computer”, in Crash‎^[1], number 64:
  The finished game will be a multiload, with the first load allowing players to select which aircraft they'd like to fly.
- 1999, Seamus Ross, Ann Gow, Digital Archaeology: The Recovery of Digital Materials at Risk:
  If it is a multiload game, then you will probably only get the main game part, not the levels […]
  […] sometimes possible to obtain the loader code, and change it to a suitable format that the emulators will use (called LLT multiloads - Load Level Trap) where the emulator looks for a certain 12 byte loader command to be called up.

Verb

multiload (third-person singular simple present multiloads, present participle multiloading, simple past and past participle multiloaded)

(computing, dated, intransitive) To load in separate stages.
- 1995, Joseph Kelleher, “Hey Joe, ...with that PD software in your hand?”, in comp.sys.acorn.games (Usenet):
  The best games like Midnight Resistance made use of the 128 memory and did not multiload (unlike other discontinuous RAM sized machines, like the C64/128 or the Beeb, many Spectrum games used the 128 memory if available, so don't go on about how 128k made no difference and all games multiloaded).

Derived terms

multiloader