Cabe Atwell writes that the Zilog Z80 is celebrating its 50th anniversary this July. Developed in 1976 by former Intel engineers, it became a dominant 8-bit processor largely due to its instruction compatibility with the existing Intel 8080 software ecosystem. This strategic design allowed manufacturers to adopt more advanced features like built-in DRAM refresh and improved interrupt systems without rewriting their entire codebases.
- Integrated into legendary hardware including Pac-Man arcade cabinets, ZX Spectrum, and TI graphing calculators.
- Launched at a competitive $25 price point to encourage mass market adoption.
- Community-driven silicon replacements are being developed following Littelfuse's cessation of Zilog orders in 2024.
- Integrated into legendary hardware including Pac-Man arcade cabinets, ZX Spectrum, and TI graphing calculators.
- Launched at a competitive $25 price point to encourage mass market adoption.
- Community-driven silicon replacements are being developed following Littelfuse's cessation of Zilog orders in 2024.
Phil Goldstein writes that Digital Equipment Corp.’s VAX line of superminicomputers acted as a vital bridge between mainframe-dominated computing and the rise of personal computers. These systems became indispensable for federal research and academic institutions because they offered high performance, significant virtual memory capacity, and backward compatibility with earlier DEC architectures.
- The first model introduced was the VAX-11/780 in October 1977.
- Success in proprietary operating systems like VMS eventually failed as the market shifted toward commodity hardware running Windows or Linux.
- Compaq acquired DEC in 1998, which was later bought by Hewlett Packard in 2002.
- The first model introduced was the VAX-11/780 in October 1977.
- Success in proprietary operating systems like VMS eventually failed as the market shifted toward commodity hardware running Windows or Linux.
- Compaq acquired DEC in 1998, which was later bought by Hewlett Packard in 2002.
The Interim Computer Museum (ICM) preserves and shares the history of computing through interactive exhibits using vintage hardware with modern enhancements.
An edited and extended version of an article first published in Computing, 11 May 2000, detailing the history and impact of the Palo Alto Research Center (Parc) and its inventions that shaped personal computing.
A podcast exploring the history of computing, from early machines like the LINC and LGP-30 to more modern devices like the Keypact Micro-VIP and Friden Flexowriter, and the people who restore and preserve them.
Researchers discovered long-lost computer code and used it to resurrect the early chatbot ELIZA from MIT. Named after Eliza Doolittle from 'Pygmalion,' ELIZA was developed in the 1960s by MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum. It was designed to emulate a psychotherapist in conversation and used a unique programming language called MAD-SLIP. Rediscovered in 2021, the original code was brought back to life after 60 years, demonstrating the chatbot's functionality and highlighting the historical significance of early artificial intelligence.
