5 ms·

At first i was like "I'm pretty sure this is bullshit or some cheat used" but then i was like "Oh, its dimitry." Impressive work, as always.

ssrc 2y ago
I mean, it's fun and interesting bullshit that cheats a lot. I'm sure that you could emulate a MIPS using a one-bit processor like the MC14500[0] with enough supporting hardware, real or virtual. Looking forward to it, Dimitry. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_MC14500B https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_MC14500B
- dmitrygr 2y ago
  I’ll work on setting a new lower record every ten years or so. My guess at the next three steps: one bit controller, transistors only, vacuum tubes.
  - mrguyorama 2y ago
    At some point you will just need to offload the actual "processing" part to some nice old chap named Dave who has himself an abacus, and every now and then you send him a letter and he moves some stones and sends a letter back with the result.
    - dmitrygr 2y ago
      CPU-by-correspondence!
    - MobiusHorizons 2y ago
      I think you have invented the most cursed form of virtualized cloud computing where the memory is connected by a very slow network. Bit of course you can solve this by sending letters speculatively, and having Dave keep copies of his letters back to you so he reference them for recently set values, that way you can at least keep Dave busy while the letters are in flight.
    - Frenchgeek 2y ago
      Obligatory https://xkcd.com/505 https://xkcd.com/505 , I think.
- alnwlsn 2y ago
  We need this for the Usagi Electric vacuum tube computer.
adrian_b 2y ago
Very impressive work, but most of the work has been necessary because Intel 4004 was not really the first microprocessor, this was just BS propaganda used by Intel to push back by one year the date of the launch of the first microprocessor, to 1971. The first true (civilian) microprocessor was Intel 8008, in 1972. Intel 8008 was a monolithic implementation, i.e. in a single PMOS integrated circuit, of the processor of Datapoint 2200, therefore it deserves the name "microprocessor". The processor of Datapoint 2200 had an ugly architecture, but there is no doubt that it was a general-purpose CPU and traces of its ISA remain present in the latest Intel and AMD CPUs. On the other hand, the set of chips that included Intel 4004 was not intended for the implementation of a general-purpose computer, but it was intended just for the implementation of a classic desktop calculator, not even a programmable desktop calculator. This is the reason for the many quirks of Intel 4004, e.g. the lack of instructions for the logic operations, and many others that have increased the amount of work required for implementing a MIPS emulator suitable for running Linux. Even if Intel 4004 was intended for a restricted application, after Intel has offered to sell it to anyone, there have been many who have succeeded to use it in various creative ways for implementing microcontrollers for the automation of diverse industrial processes, saving some money or some space over a TTL implementation. In the early days of the electronics industry it was very normal to find ways to use integrated circuits for purposes very different from those for which the circuits had been designed. Such applications do not make Intel 4004 a true microcontroller or microprocessor. Very soon many other companies, and later also Intel, have begun to produce true microcontrollers, designed for this purpose, either 4-bit or 8-bit MCUs, then Intel 4004 has no longer been used for new designs.
- MarkusWandel 2y ago
  No kidding about unusual uses of ICs. Not related to microprocessors, but I have an old analog triple conversion HF receiver (Eddystone EC958/3 for what it's worth) that uses a TTL IC in an analog circuit! I'd have to look at the schematic again, I think it's a multi-stage counter, but basically what it uses it for is to generate a comb shaped spectrum, one "spike" of which can then be picked up by an analog circuit and locked to, to generate precisely spaced tuning steps for the high stability tuning.
- 2y ago
artyom 2y ago
I didn't know the guy but he clearly knows what he's doing, it's unbelievably entertaining to read the details of achieving an impossible task with the most underpowered tool possible.

ssrc 2y ago

I mean, it's fun and interesting bullshit that cheats a lot. I'm sure that you could emulate a MIPS using a one-bit processor like the MC14500[0] with enough supporting hardware, real or virtual. Looking forward to it, Dimitry. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_MC14500B https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_MC14500B

dmitrygr 2y ago
I’ll work on setting a new lower record every ten years or so. My guess at the next three steps: one bit controller, transistors only, vacuum tubes.
- mrguyorama 2y ago
  At some point you will just need to offload the actual "processing" part to some nice old chap named Dave who has himself an abacus, and every now and then you send him a letter and he moves some stones and sends a letter back with the result.
  - dmitrygr 2y ago
    CPU-by-correspondence!
  - MobiusHorizons 2y ago
    I think you have invented the most cursed form of virtualized cloud computing where the memory is connected by a very slow network. Bit of course you can solve this by sending letters speculatively, and having Dave keep copies of his letters back to you so he reference them for recently set values, that way you can at least keep Dave busy while the letters are in flight.
  - Frenchgeek 2y ago
    Obligatory https://xkcd.com/505 https://xkcd.com/505 , I think.
alnwlsn 2y ago
We need this for the Usagi Electric vacuum tube computer.

adrian_b 2y ago

Very impressive work, but most of the work has been necessary because Intel 4004 was not really the first microprocessor, this was just BS propaganda used by Intel to push back by one year the date of the launch of the first microprocessor, to 1971. The first true (civilian) microprocessor was Intel 8008, in 1972. Intel 8008 was a monolithic implementation, i.e. in a single PMOS integrated circuit, of the processor of Datapoint 2200, therefore it deserves the name "microprocessor". The processor of Datapoint 2200 had an ugly architecture, but there is no doubt that it was a general-purpose CPU and traces of its ISA remain present in the latest Intel and AMD CPUs. On the other hand, the set of chips that included Intel 4004 was not intended for the implementation of a general-purpose computer, but it was intended just for the implementation of a classic desktop calculator, not even a programmable desktop calculator. This is the reason for the many quirks of Intel 4004, e.g. the lack of instructions for the logic operations, and many others that have increased the amount of work required for implementing a MIPS emulator suitable for running Linux. Even if Intel 4004 was intended for a restricted application, after Intel has offered to sell it to anyone, there have been many who have succeeded to use it in various creative ways for implementing microcontrollers for the automation of diverse industrial processes, saving some money or some space over a TTL implementation. In the early days of the electronics industry it was very normal to find ways to use integrated circuits for purposes very different from those for which the circuits had been designed. Such applications do not make Intel 4004 a true microcontroller or microprocessor. Very soon many other companies, and later also Intel, have begun to produce true microcontrollers, designed for this purpose, either 4-bit or 8-bit MCUs, then Intel 4004 has no longer been used for new designs.

MarkusWandel 2y ago
No kidding about unusual uses of ICs. Not related to microprocessors, but I have an old analog triple conversion HF receiver (Eddystone EC958/3 for what it's worth) that uses a TTL IC in an analog circuit! I'd have to look at the schematic again, I think it's a multi-stage counter, but basically what it uses it for is to generate a comb shaped spectrum, one "spike" of which can then be picked up by an analog circuit and locked to, to generate precisely spaced tuning steps for the high stability tuning.
2y ago

artyom 2y ago

I didn't know the guy but he clearly knows what he's doing, it's unbelievably entertaining to read the details of achieving an impossible task with the most underpowered tool possible.