Re: AMD was just a chip cloner back then
Prior to IBM's intervention, AMD designs owned the microprocessor market and Intel make RAM and calculator chips. Intel was scrappy little company that got a great break and didn't blow it - but this market was handed to them on a platter. To their credit, they took advantage of the gift they were granted.
Just before IBM legitimized the PC, a number of bit-slice processors were available (since, at that time, a single chip was totally inadequate to build a real computer, the CPU was assembled from a number of chips called bit slices).
Intel had the 3000, second sourced by signetics.
Fairchild had the 34705, second sourced by signetics.
Monolithic had the 6701, second sourced by ITT Semi.
Motorola had the MC10800, second sourced by none.
Texas Instruments had the 0401 and 74S481, second sourced by none.
Nat. Semiconductor had the IMP-8 and 16, second sourced by none.
AMD had the 2901, second sourced by Fairchild, Monolithic Memories, Motorola, Nat. Semiconductor, Raytheon, Sescosem, and Signetics.
Dan |
