Беликова Е.К., Саратовская Л.Б. - The United Kingdom and United States of America in Past and Present (1268141), страница 38
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It implies that one will receive30 % more power (speed/capacity) at the same price. Moore’s Law,which could be applied to both memory chips and microprocessors,showed the unprecedented rapid progress in microelectronics. The storyof further technological breakthrough began in 1969, when a Japanesecalculator manufacturer Busicomp asked Intel to design a set of chips fora family of programmable calculators. Marcian Ted Hoff, a young andvery bright ex-Stanford research associate who had joined Intel asemployee number 12, was charged with this project.
However, Ted Hoffdid not like the Japanese design calling for 12 customs chips - each ofthem was assigned a distinct task. Hoff thought that designing so manydifferent chips would make the calculators very expensive. His idea wasto develop a four-chip set with a general-purpose logic device as itscenter, which could be programmed by instructions stored on a149semiconductor memory chip. With the help of new employee StanMazor, Hoff perfected the design of what would be the 4004 arithmeticchip. After Busicomp had accepted Hoff’s chip set, Frederico Faggin,one of the best chip design experts, began transforming the design intosilicon.
The 4004 microprocessor, a 4-bit chip (processes 4 bits - a stringof four ones or zeroes-of information at a time), contained 2300 MOStransistors, and was as powerful as the legendary first electronic computerENIAC. Soon after the first 4004s had been delivered, Intel realized themarket potential of the chip, and successfully renegotiated with theJapanese to regain the exclusive rights, which had been sold to Busicomp.In November 1971, Intel introduced the 4004 to the public in ElectronicNews ads. They announced not just a new product, but also “a new era ofintegrated electronics”, a micro programmable computer on a chip. Themicroprocessor is - as Gordon Moore called it - “one of the mostrevolutionary products in the history of mankind, and ranks as one of 12milestones of American technology in a survey of the US” (“News andWorld Report”, 1982). The introduction of a microprocessor madepossible the creation of a microcomputer.
Today Intel supplies thecomputing and communications industries with chips, boards and systemsbuilding blocks that are the “ingredients” of computers, servers, andnetworking and communications products. Industry members use theseproducts to create advanced computing and communications systems.Intel’s mission is to be the prominent building block supplier to theworldwide Internet economy.Communications building blocks for next-generation networks andInternet data centers are offered at various levels of integration. Theseproducts are used in communications servers, network appliances andcomputer telephony integration equipment.Component-level building blocks include communicationssilicon such as network processors and other board-levelcomponents, software and embedded control chips.
These productsare integrated in communications hardware such as hubs, outers,switches and servers for local and wide area networkingapplications. Embedded control chips are also used in laserprinters, automotive systems and other applications. Intel’smeasures resulted in a remarkable technological lead against itscompetitors. The most significant consequence, which was alandmark in the company’s development, was IBM’s decision to150rely on the Intel 8088 microprocessor for its PCs in 1980.IBM (short for International Business Machines) has been the world’sleading company in the big mainframe computers since the 1950s.
Due toits dominance, it was often compared with a giant and referred to as “BigBlue”. Because of IBM’s dominance and worldwide reputation, its PCssoon became industry standard and penetrated the office market. Otherestablished computer companies followed and introduced their own PCs the so-called “clones”-which were compatible to IBM’s models. Tomaintain compatibility, all these manufactures were forced to rely onIntel’s microprocessors, which thus were bootstrapped to industrystandard, too.
MS-DOS was chosen as the IBM PC’s operating systemand became industry standard, essential to every compatible IBM PC.The Apple Company provides one of Silicon Valley’s most famousstories. It shows features that are typical for most star-up firms in thevalley, however, it is unique and its early success and its contribution tothe personal computer field are unmatched.Apple’s history starts with the story of two young and exceptionalpeople “Two Steves” who began building a computer in their garage andlaunched the microcomputer revolution, changing our daily life in manyrespects.
Stephen G. Wozniak was a typical Silicon Valley child. Bornin 1950, he grew up with the electronics industry in Silicon Valley, andbecame intrigued by electronics from the very start, since his father wasan electronics engineer. Wozniak, known to his friends as “Woz”, was anelectronics genius. At the age of 13, Woz won the highest award at alocal science fair for his addition-subtraction machine.
The electronicsteacher at Homestead High School recognized his outstanding talent andarranged a job for him at a local company, where Steve could work withcomputers once a week. It was there that Wozniak saw the capabilities ofa computer (it was the DEC PDP-8 minicomputer).In 1971, Wozniak built his first computer with his high-school friendBill Fernandez. This computer (they called it Cream Soda Computer) wasdeveloped in his friend’s garage. Bill introduced Woz to a friend of his,named Steven P.
Jobs. Jobs’ parents were - like most other people inSilicon Valley-blue-collar workers. Growing up in an environment full ofelectronics, Steve came in contact with this fascinating technology andwas caught by it. Jobs was a loner and his character can be described asbrash, very ambitious and unshakably self-confident. With his directnessand his persistency he managed to persuade most people. He had the151ability to convey his notions and visions to other people quite well. Andhe was not afraid to talk to famous people until they gave in and did whathe wanted.In 1972, Steve Jobs went to Reed College in Oregon, but dropped outa year later and returned to Silicon Valley, where he took a job with ayoung video game company Atari, which at that time planned to developa new game called “Breakout”.
Jobs boasted he could design it quickerand better than anyone else. Jobs told his friend Woz about it, and the twodesigned the game in record time, working four nights and days, andwere paid the promised $700 for it. This experience showed them thatthey could work together on a tough project and succeed. When theHomebrew Computer Club came into existence, Wozniak beganattending its meetings.
There he met people who shared his love forcomputers and exchanged the technical expertise. Soon after, ChuckPeddle at MOS Tech released his new 6502 microprocessor chip for only$20, which was a sensation compared to the usual price of $400.Suddenly, Woz saw his chance and decided to write the first BASIC forit, which was the most spread programming language. After finishingwith the BASIC, he made a computer for it to run on. The other hobbyistsa board with chips and interfaces for a keyboard and a video monitor.The breakthrough for the two Steves came in July, when Paul Terrellordered 50 Apples for his Byte Shop, however on condition thecomputers were fully assembled in a case and equipped with a cassetteinterface to enable external data storage.
Working hard in Job`s parent’sgarage they managed to construct the 50 Apples within those 30 days.The Apple I was continuously refined by Wozniak, and its sales madethe young company known, partly because the company’s name appearedon top of computers lists, which were published by electronics magazinesin alphabetical order.
By the time the first Apple was being sold, SteveWozniak had already begun working on another computer, the Apple II.This machine had several special features, which had not appeared in anymicrocomputer before and would make it the milestone product thatwould usher in the age of personal computer. Steve Job’s persistencypersuaded Wozniak to build up a company. In 1979, Daniel Fylstra, aprogrammer from Boston, released VisiCalc for the Apple 11. Thisspreadsheet was a novelty in computer software. It relieved businesscalculations considerably and could be used to do financial forecasting. Itwas the first application that made personal computers a practical tool for152people who do not know how to write their own programs.
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