A History of Early Microcontrollers, Part 1

[bitsavers]

https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microcontrollers-part-1-calculator-chips-came-first/

[unwind]

I was first exposed to microcontrollers when I learned about the Microchip 16x84 [1] in the mid-nineties.

As a 20-something CS M.Sc student with a software background it was really opening up the world of electronics in a great way. What a product.

[1]: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIC16x84

[bitsavers]

The whole series is interesting

[johndoe0815 → bitsavers]

Here are the URLs for all the nine parts, since the articles don't link the others in the series:

1. Calculator Chips - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...

2. TI TMS1000 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...

3. Rockwell PPS-4/1 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...

4. Intel 8048 and 8748 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...

5. Motorola 6801 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...

6. Fairchild F8 and Mostek MK3870 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...

7. Zilog Z8 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...

8. Intel 8051 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...

9. GI PIC1650 - https://www.eejournal.com/article/a-history-of-early-microco...

[pwg → johndoe0815]

> since the articles don't link the others in the series:

I wonder why so many websites do not do this (and it seems the effect is quite common with more traditional 'publishers' such as this one).

"Linking" is one of the core aspects that make "the web" into "the web".

[psychphysic → johndoe0815]

Brilliant thanks, will binge this all.

[djmips]

I submitted a fascinating blog post featuring this same era of calculator chips but related to the first Mattel handheld electronic games

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34259747

[psychphysic]

Wish this was three times as long!