[COFF] Re: Terminology query - 'system process'?

[steve jenkin <sjenkin@canb.auug.org.au>]

Noel,

Adding a little to your observation on how fast CMOS microprocessors took over.

Wasn’t just DEC and IBM who were in financial trouble in 1992:
 - the whole US minicomputer industry had been hit.

DEC did well to just survive, albeit only for another 5 years before merging with HP.

steve j

> On 21 Dec 2023, at 06:31, Noel Chiappa <jnc@mercury.lcs.mit.edu> wrote:
> 
> I'm impressed, in retrospect, with how quickly the world went from proceesors
> built with transistors, through proceesors built out discrete ICs, to
> microprocessors. To give an example; the first DEC machine with an IC
> processor was the -11/20, in 1970 (the KI10 was 1972); starting with the
> LSI-11, in 1975, DEC started using microprocessors; the last PDP-11 with a
> CPU made out of of discrete ICs was the -11/44, in 1979. All -11's produced
> after that used microprocessors.
> 
> So just 10 years... Wow.
> 
> Noel

============

<http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2018/08/102740418-05-01-acc.pdf> [ 1,070 pg ]
<https://gordonbell.azurewebsites.net/Digital/Minicomputers_The_DEC_aka_Digital_Story.ppt> [ power point ]

The Birth and Passing of Minicomputers: From A Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC) Perspective
Gordon Bell
11 October 2006

(intro slide)

(DEC) 1957-1998. 41 yrs., 4 generations: transistor, IC, VLSI, clusters - winner take all
How computer classes form...and die.
Not dealing with technology = change = disruption

pg 21

91 Minicomputer companies 1984
by 1990 only 4 survived. (DG, DEC, HP, IBM)

============

--
Steve Jenkin, IT Systems and Design 
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 38, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

mailto:sjenkin@canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin