Xref: utzoo comp.misc:2891 comp.arch:5714
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!looking!brad
From: brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,comp.arch
Subject: Re: History of PCs (also kind of long)
Keywords: history, pc, workstation
Message-ID: <1876@looking.UUCP>
Date: 27 Jul 88 04:05:13 GMT
References: <5946@venera.isi.edu> <5458@ecsvax.uncecs.edu>
Reply-To: brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton)
Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd.
Lines: 33

Probably the most unsung player in this history of personal computing
is Chuck Peddle.

He designed the 6800 first, and then he went on to design the 6502.

The 6809 isn't much in use today, but it's descendants, namely the
68000 family, are a very strong force in microcomputers.

The 6502 is probably in more computers than any other processor, even
today, and though nobody knows why, Apple is still selling lots of
machines with essentially the 6502 in them.   The 6502's children never
really made it big, but the impression of the chip itself is firm.

Peddle went on to found Sirius (later Victor), which made a fairly nifty
8086 machine.  Unfortunately for them, it was not the right time to make
such a machine, since another, slightly larger company decided to
make an 8088 system at that time.

Peddle also designed the PET.  The PET came out the same time as the Apple,
and a bit before the TRS-80.  It was really the first serious
all in one box personal computer, that you could plug in, turn on and use.

It was the first actual machine for computer hobbyists who were *not*
electronics hobbyists.  (The ECD Micromind tried to be this, but never
existed.)

The ideas around personal computer certainly did germinate long ago,
but the people who actually made it happen are the ones who get the
history.  The story I know best is the story of the micro software industry,
because I was part of that, although I can't claim to have been one of
the founders!
-- 
Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd.  --  Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473