Corrections to trivia

From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Wed Oct 7 22:44:45 1998

< We have no way of knowing what *would* have happened if Intel hadn't
< invented the 4004 or if MITS hadn't invented the Altair, all we know is
< what *did* happen.

Therin lies the point we do not all know what did happen. There were many
things that did happen that were unsuccessful or poorly marketed.

< I've never read Intel's versions of the events -- all I have to go on ar
< artifacts. I'm not aware of any computer artifacts that support the ide
< that somebody else enabled cheap computers to be made before Intel did.

By time PCs roamed the earth most of the players had died or were crushed.
Intel was a very aggressive vendor even then. They played the you want
8205... then you buy OUR 8080 and 8224 and 8228 or forget it. That was
when AMD and NATIONAL Semi and half a dosen other were also making 8080s.

If anything it was intels competitors that drive the proce of the chips
down so inexpensive computers could be made. Then ther ewas the
manufaturers wars pushing the end price down.

< etc. That would seem to completely destroy the relevance of the F14
< computer as far as microcomputers are concerned, but it does nothing to
< deminish the importance of the 4004.

True intel did that with the 8008, then the 8080 then the 8085 and the
8088 and the 80286...

< At no point did I mention Intel's long-term success. This discussion al
< along has been about the Big Bang that led eventually to cheap computer

As a point the big bang nearly killed intel. In the early 80s intel was
one of theose giving 10% across the board pay cuts (even managers!)
due to the market pressure on them.

< computer was the Big Bang. Did I misunderstand you? I'm saying that th

It was White Sands, intel was the public display.

Allison
Received on Wed Oct 07 1998 - 22:44:45 BST