Corrections to trivia

From: Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com>
Date: Mon Oct 5 19:36:28 1998

Sam Ismail <dastar_at_ncal.verio.com> wrote:
> It is a microprocessor, just not "single-chip", as you'll notice I
> specified once you re-read my message above.

OK, so by that definition the LSI-11 is microprocessor based, and is the
correct answer to the trivia question about the frist microprocessor-based
Unix system.

I'm not sure how useful a definition it is. Why, for instance, isn't my
PDP-8/I considered to be microprocessor-based? It has a multi-chip
processor. So did the IBM 360/30, for that matter.

Is the difference based on the number of chips? If so, where is the
dividing line?

While I would be the last person to want to downplay the significance of
the F-14 computer, I personally think that the word 'microprocessor' is
only useful if it refers to a single monolithic IC, in which case Ted Hoff
and Intel get credit for the first one.

Eric
Received on Mon Oct 05 1998 - 19:36:28 BST