On 2023-Nov-21, at 1:03 AM, ED SHARPE via cctalk wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 20, 2023 at 7:01 PM ben via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:
>> On 2023-11-20 5:36 p.m., Murray McCullough via cctalk wrote:
>>> On Nov. 15, 1971 Intel commercially released the 4004 microprocessor which
>>> some consider to be the first. Nonetheless, even if not in agreement, it
>>> made possible the instrument which drives the classic-computing industry or
>>> at the very least our hobby!
>>> 
>>> Happy computing.
>>> 
>>> Murray 🙂
>> 
>> https://retrocomputingforum.com/t/swiss-physicist-builds-complete-intel-4004-computer-out-of-smd-transistors/3738
>> THE DIY VERSION
> 
> So what are the other contenders and what do they bring to table


A claim is made for the first microproc being the CADC processor of an early 
flight-control system for the F-14, made by Garrett AiResearch ~ 1969. I 
haven't looked into it in depth - or I don't know of detailed info being 
available - but apparently it was a CPU made up of several LSI chips. In my 
opinion that disqualifies it, but it's all into the mug's game of specifying 
'first at what?'

There's also the TMS-1000 series of calculator chips which were single-chip 
programmed processors and came in the same time-frame (measured in months) of 
the 4004. IIRC, there's some argument there about development vs production vs 
release vs availability dates.

Also to note, there were multi-chip programmed-processor calculator chip-sets 
in that time-frame, not sure of the exact timing relative to the 4004.

The microproc was simply a development whose time had come. It was a 
predictable, 'in-the-air' idea brought to fruition with increasing integration 
capabilities.

In reality the 4004 was/would-be awkward to use for a general-purpose system. 
The 4004 CPU was tailored for use with mask-programmed ROM chips and RAM chips, 
all specific to the MCS-4 family. IO was also in those MCS-4 chips. To make a 
system with off-the-shelf ROM/RAM/IO chips required going through other special 
MCS-4 family chips for that purpose.
Or put another way, it was a multi-chip CPU by the time you tried to make a 
system with standard RAM/ROM/IO chips.

I have two embedded systems using 4004s:

        - an M900 PROM programmer.
          This system does have interfacing for use of off-the-shelf ROM 
(1702s) and RAM.
          The manual for this includes the firmware source code listing.

        - the remnants of the PLL control from an avionics transceiver.
          An example of a 'proper' MCS-4 system, as it was intended to be used,
          with 4004 CPU, 4001 ROMs, 4002 RAM & 4201 clock-gen.
                 http://madrona.ca/e/4004Monument/index.html

Reply via email to