Intel CPU's (was: Re: Chroma CPU)

[Duane R Balvage]

Hello Gerry, all -


> > Chroma = MC68B09P which BTW is NOT pin compatible with the MC68B09E, both are 40
> > pin dip though.
> > Polaris = Satan's fetus cpu ( just joking, calm down ) Intel '186
> >
> > I think these two synths get mixed up more than most.
> >

> In case anyone was interested, this was Intel's First chip (80186)

  Actually, that is incorrect. (I work for Intel, I'm supposed to know

  this stuff... ;^) )

  The world's first microprocessor, the Intel 4004, was built in 1971.
  it had just about 2300 transistors. It was a 4-bit cpu.

  Then in 197(4?) came the 8008 - the first 8-bit cpu.

  1976: the 8080, a  major improvement on the 8008, was built.

  1978: the 8086 was the first 16 bit cpu, BUT, no computer

  manufacturers were ready for a 16 - bit data bus. So Intel

  left the cpu 16 bit inside, but left the interface at 8-bit,

  and called it the 8088. 

  The 80186 was originally intended to replace the 8088 in 1983, but,

  it was discovered that the '186 worked better as a microcontroller,

  so in 1985 the '286 replaced the 8088-10 as the first 16 bit cpu

  in an IBM PC. I think you all know the rest.... :)

> Not the 8088. IBM Thought that addressing 1 meg of memory was
> insane, so they asked Intel to make a smaller/less powerful
> CPU, hence the 8088.

  That is not *entirely* correct. Actually, the Address bus on an 8088

  is 20 bits wide. So, it could actually access 1024k, or 1Meg of
memory.


> Thats why we have the 640k barrier!

  Actually, this limitation is in MS-Dos. And I quote:

  "640k should be enough memory for anyone." - Bill Gates, 1979

  This is where that limit comes from... it's the way memory is mapped

  in MS-DOS.


> oh well, live and (small minds) learn.

  Yep. I'll bet Mr. Gates is probably still kicking himself for the
"640k"

  blunder. It continues to hamper Windows to this very day ...

  (along with bad programming, but we won't get into that can of
bugs....)

					- Duane
-- 
   "That boy's got a mouth like a cannon ... Always shootin' it off..."
                                
                             - Foghorn Leghorn
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