Happy 50th Anniversary to the Intel 4004!

[thewayne]

This is the computer chip, or more accurately, CPU, that started the computer revolution!

We had computer chips before the 4004, but they were purpose-built: they filled one goal. Then a calculator company approached Intel and something different was created: a chip that could be re-programmed and run different programs, not just the one that it was created for!

As one editorial put it, most of the wealth created since 1971 is largely due to this chip! Now THAT is something to think about!

https://www.andykessler.com/andy_kessler/2021/11/wsj-4004-anniversary.html

The Kessler article links to a Wall Street Journal article that has a more full story.

Comments

[dewline]

Definitely a progress marker of interest to us all!

[thewayne]

Hard to imagine the world being locked in the mainframe paradigm for the last 50 years without the microprocessor revolution, isn't it?

TIL!

[devilc]

This is really cool! Thank you for sharing!

Re: TIL!

[thewayne]

You're welcome!  It is a great story.

[silveradept]

The 4004 is a venerable chip, although I think I remember the 8086 (which came after the 8008) and the x86 architecture that it spawned as the rather important part of my growing up time. But still, without the 4004 and its ability to be programmed for whatever operations were needed, we wouldn't have the minicomputers that we have now, so well done 4004!

[thewayne]

I don't remember the 4004 specifically, but I remember the 8008 and 8080.  We had a computer store down at Central & Camelback where I used to hang out that had the Altair and its like with keyboard/monitors and front panel toggle input.  It was pretty cool stuff.  Very early '80s, possibly late '70s, I don't quite recall.  Quite the revolution the 4004 spawned!