Hey Everyone! 
Today, we will be covering the word ROM.
No, I’m not talking about a hardware that is used to store permanent data.
However, it is said that this slang is a play on words of ‘Read only Memory’, which is a hardware that is used to store permanent data.
So, when it is used as slang, what is a ROM? Or who is a ROM?
Surprisingly, this abbreviation is not like words such as DQN, TKG, and YDK where it is an abbreviation of Japanese words. Instead, ROM stands for ‘Read-only-members’, and this refers to internet users who only read what is posted, but do not participate in the conversation. Being a ROM is the same as being a ‘lurker’.
As I mentioned earlier, this internet slang is a play on words with ‘Read only memory’, and people think they chose this word because like a CD ROM, these users can read, but not write.
Origin 
What triggered people to start using this word?
This word actually started circulating somewhere around late 80’s and early 90’s before the internet was widespread and was only ‘popular’ among computer enthusiasts interested in online communication. During this time, online communication was either hosted by a bigger company or by a single person that enjoyed communicating with others online. Back in these days, servers that were run by individuals were called 草（くさ）の根（ね） BBS.
Unlike the awesome internet we have right now, the internet back then was accessed using a phone line, which meant that only 1 person can access the BBS at a time because it was basically treated like a phone call (1 line 1 call). This meant that if the host wanted more people to access the BBS at the same time, they would have to sign-up for more phone lines.
Accessing most BBSs was free, especially if it only had one line or was run by bigger company (with multiple lines), but you usually had to pay for privately run BBSs with multiple lines.
Since most of these BBSs were free to use, there was an unspoken rule to not stay too long so that other people could access the site, and to leave with a file, some sort of information, or simply a comment so that you could be a little useful to the community.
Even though there was an unspoken rule and most people followed this, there were still people that were not very considerate of others trying to access the BBS. This is around the time people started to use abbreviations like ROM and DOM (download only members) to refer to people that just took space and used their resources without being a helpful part of the community. Since this became such a huge problem, bigger BBSs started to limit access to 30 minutes per user at a time so that others could have a chance to use their services.
I feel like I could talk more about 草の根BBS, but i know I am going to stray away from today’s topic, so この話はここまでにしておきましょう.
ANYWAYS, because it was first used to refer to people that only ‘took’ in a ‘give and take’ community, the word ROM had and still has a negative nuance to it. Because of this negative feeling towards ROMs, some communities, to this day, dislike it when there are ROMs in their communities, since they feel as if they are just outsiders eavesdropping on them (some people consider this 気持ち悪い). Some of these communities will out right ban you or kick you out of the community for being a lurker. For example, on websites like mixi, where it showed who viewed your blogs, people considered ROM as a 読（よ）み逃（に）げ犯（はん） (kind of like dining and dashing), and really disliked user who did this. Some people still consider that 読み逃げ is an extremely rude thing to do. I can understand people not liking ROMs on private chats/communities, but disliking people for not commenting on a public post is as wild to me, just like the FF culture on Japanese X.
Although being a ROM is seen as a negative thing, it is considered as a common courtesy to be a ROM until you understand the culture of the community (especially if the community is older).
For example, if you join a new community and the people on there are polite and nice, and you come in hot and ready to argue, you might be told:
新半R (新人は半年ロムれ)
If you are a newbie, be a read only member so you can get a better feeling of the community.
Example with furigana
新（しん）半（はん）R (新人（しんじん）は半年（はんとし）ロムれ)
If you are a newbie, be a read only member so you can get a better feeling of the community.
ROMる
As you saw in the example above, ROM could be used as a verb.
To make this word into a verb you simply add a る to the end (technichally, in slang Japanese you can transform any noun into a verb as long as it makes sense 
).
Despite ROMる ending with a る, it is technically a 五段 verb, so it will be conjugated just like any 五段 verb.
When ROM is converted into a verb, the meaning becomes ‘to lurk’.
Examples:
この配信者のコメ欄いつも流れるの早いし、何書いてもどうせ読んでくれないないから、いつもROMらせてもらってる。
- This streamer’s comment section flows really fast, and because they won’t read what I write, I just read (and watch the stream) without commenting.
ROMるのは失礼っていう奴は多いけど、実際のところ何が悪いのか全然わからん。
- There are so many people that say lurking is bad, but I honestly don’t understand whats so wrong about it.
コメ打つ前に半年ROMって来い。
- Go back and lurk for half a year before you start commenting.
Example with furigana
この配信者（はいしんしゃ）のコメ欄（らん）いつも流（なが）れるの早（はや）いし、何（なに）書（か）いてもどうせ読（よ）んでくれないないから、いつもROMらせてもらってる。
- This streamer’s comment section flows really fast, and because they won’t read what I write, I just read (and watch the stream) without commenting.
ROMるのは失礼（しつれい）っていう奴（やつ）は多（おお）いけど、実際（じっさい）のところ何（なに）が悪（わる）いのか全然（ぜんぜん）わからん。
- There are so many people that say lurking is bad, but I honestly don’t understand whats so wrong about it.
コメ打（う）つ前（まえ）に半年（はんとし）ROMって来（こ）い。
- Go back and lurk for half a year before you start commenting.
Another common way ROM is used is by adding 専 to the end, which is just an abbreviation for 専門.
Examples:
普段ROM専の人がコメントするとは…相当頭に来たんだろうな。
- I can’t believe that a person who only reads usually commented… they must be really upset.
自己紹介すらしないし、情報提供もしないし、私たちからすればいてもいなくても何も変わらないので、今からROM専の方達一人ずつリムります。
- Since you guys don’t even introduce yourselves nor do you guys give useful information, it doesn’t make a difference if you guys are here or not for us, so I am going to start removing all you ROM-ers.
Example with furigana
普段（ふだん）ROM専（せん）の人（ひと）がコメントするとは…相当（そうとう）頭（あたま）に来（き）たんだろうな。
- I can’t believe that a person who only reads usually commented… they must be really upset.
自己（じこ）紹介（しょうかい）すらしないし、情報（じょうほう）提供（ていきょう）もしないし、私（わたし）たちからすればいてもいなくても何（なに）も変（か）わらないので、今（いま）からROM専（せん）の方達（かたたち）一人（ひとり）ずつリムります。
- Since you guys don’t even introduce yourselves nor do you guys give useful information, it doesn’t make a difference if you guys are here or not for us, so I am going to start removing all you ROM-ers.
Similar words
見る専
Sohrt for 見（み）るの専門（せんもん）
This one is the same as ROM専, just a different word for it.
RAM
This one also derives from a computer term, but this one is used to mean someone who both reads and posts since RAMs on a computer can both read and write.
WOM
This one is the opposite of a ROM, and stands for ‘Write only member’. These members do not give a single care about what has been discussed or what others have to say, these people just write what is on their mind. More like they just want others to hear what they have to say.
Although ROM is a pretty old slang, it is still used and can be seen from time to time, however, because it is older, younger people and people that are new to the internet might not know what this means.
俺のブログでROMるのは全然構わないけど、たまにはコメ残してください！
Fuga
If you missed the previous posts, you can check them out here!
