Comment by kens

3 days ago

> Datapoint, a pioneer in office automation using small computers

In 1970, Datapoint created a desktop computer, the Datapoint 2200, with an 8-bit TTL processor. Intel created a microprocessor version of this processor for Datapoint, called the Intel 8008. Datapoint decided to stick with TTL, so Intel ended up selling the 8008 as a general-purpose microprocessor. Intel improved it to make the 8080, then made a 16-bit version, the 8086, as a stopgap product until the iAPX 432 micro-mainframe was ready. The iAPX 432 was a disaster and that's how you ended up with x86.

Ken...I know you tore open an Intel 82586 ethernet chip and an IBM Tropic TR chip. It might be interesting to do a comparison of the complexity of those two, being that they're roughly contemporary.