The Microprocessor Turns 40: Intel's Monumental Accident

Forbes ^ | 11/15/2011 | Michael Kanellos,

[Kid Shelleen]

Today on the 40th anniversary of the 4004, the world’s first microprocessor, the world should salute Intel and the three inventors of that microchip for the accomplishment.

But let’s not forget that a little bit of luck and good lawyering helped too.

The 4004 was essentially a contract engineering assignment.

[mylife]

Eww!

Thank you for your service unkus.

I told people to stop sending pogy bait to the troops and to send baby wipes.

[unkus]

They use a western NPR format.

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That’s funny.

[unkus]

They use a western NPR format.

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That’s funny.

[visualops]

that is a great story.

I remember when the bakery I worked at in 1985 or so hired a couple guys to write a program to output the bakery production (orders in, calculate doughs required, etc) it was freaking awesome when they came by and loaded the program (and I assume we watched it compile?) saw screenfulls of code swim by. Was the coolest thing I’d ever seen.

[unkus]

Thanks, mylife. JDoutrider and I appreciate that.

[mylife]

I appreciate yall.

[mylife]

It is funny but they fool lots of folks with the format.

Intellectuals eat it up LoL!

[unkus]

It is funny but they fool lots of folks with the format.

Intellectuals eat it up LoL!

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Just like our “progressive” elites here in the States. Oh, they’re so enlightened!

[Octar]

The Sangean radios are good, but I prefer my Icom R-71A.

[mylife]

Indeed.

[Poser]

I’ve got a Z80a made into a tie tack. It’s way cool bit nobody knows what it is, but me. I only use it with my flying toasters tie.

[mylife]

Both great company’s.

I was just trying to present nice radios on a budget, because many people would be disappointed to spend a lot of money and find that SW isn’t their thing.

[thecodont]

Didn't know what a microprocessor was in those days but I did have one of those portable AM transistor radios that ran on a 9 volt battery and had one of those earplugs that only went in one ear because without stereo, why bother with two?

I have one of those too!

[unkus]

It’s been 40 years. We’re not ‘Cherry boys’ any more. LOL

[JDoutrider]

T’is the truth... LOL!

Gawd do I feel old!

[unkus]

May the sun warm your back and a breeze cool your brow.

And all the Irish blessings that apply be sent your way!

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Seymour Cray invented the microprocessor. He never got credit for this contribution to computer science.

[Nowhere Man]

5 years old, we just got our first color TV, still have it too.

[Nowhere Man]

I had a GE 6 transistor radio that I hid under my pillow too. Even at that age, Grandma turned me onto talkshows and later, the CBS Radio Mystery Theater. I still have it somewhere. Now I use a 1965 8 Transistor Magnavox and a Grundig G6 Aviator Buzz Aldrin edition. The latter is the size of a cigarette pack, gets 150 kc to 30 Mc, FM and VHF-Air, runs a long time on 2 AA batteries. There was a time I noticed my battery life was shorter, until Mom told me she uses it to listen to Hannity while I'm at work. B-)

BTW, I also have a Heinz bottle ketchup 6 transistor radio from 1980, I also have the box too.

[JDoutrider]

Thanks Eagle Brother!