5 ms·
Wonderful article. I've often wondered if it was possible to have computer culture without a massive industry to support it.
by Alekhine 6y ago
Wonderful article. I've often wondered if it was possible to have computer culture without a massive industry to support it.
- paleotrope 6y agoDid the Zilog Z80 require a massive industry to support it? That chip came out of engineers who left Intel.
- kjs3 6y agoNothing like the industry now, but the Z-80 and contemporary chips (8085, 6502, 680x) came from companies (Intel, MOS, Motorola) that were as massive as the industry was at the time. The 6502 (Apple, Atari) came out of engineers who left Motorola.
- Lio 6y agoThe original ARM chip came from engineers at Acorn seeing first hand how few people were involved in the creation of the 6502 they were using in the BBC Micro and deciding they could have a go at a RISC chip themselves. There's a lot to be said for having a go to see how far you can get.
- smsm42 6y agoYou definitely need electronics industry at least. But designing the schemes and writing the software can be done by hobbyists up to some level.