I. Introduction
Intel’s first microcomputer add appeared in November 1971:
“Announcing a new era in integrated electronics.”
Intel delivered two different microcomputers five months apart: the MCS-4, emphasizing low cost, in November 1971, and the MCS-8, for versatility in April 1972. “The MCS-4 and MCS-8 CPU chip sell in quantity for less than $100 each, and are powerful alternatives to random logic” [1]. These two Micro Computer Systems (MCS) were aimed at two very different markets. One would eventually lead to the under $1 controller, the other would be the engine for a versatile personal computer (PC). By analogy it was like creating the “motorbike” and the “station wagon” at the same time. The advertised prophecy of “a new era” became fulfilled over the subsequent 20 year period.
A. Automobile Analogy
Our challenge was how to scale down a general purpose computer to fit on to a chip. Imagine that the only passenger vehicle in existence is an eight-passenger van costing $50 000. At first it would be difficult to imagine a $1000 version of this vehicle. The specifications would need to be drastically reduced to meet the price goal. Some ideas to consider:
1) reducing capacity by 75%
2) reducing speed by 90%
3) reducing range by 75%
The golf cart might be the result. However, if golf carts are unknown at the time, it is not easy to envision how to scale down a van.
What features of a computer can be scaled down? That depends on what it will be used for. Fortunately for us, our first customer's application was for a desktop calculator; we scaled down the computer's speed and memory size to meet the needs of this particular application. As computers go, the microcomputer was not very capable; some would say that we set the computer industry back 10 years. We thought that we were moving the LSI world ahead by 10 years [2]. I will share some of my recollections of the early days of Intel microprocessors.
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