Complete 8 Bit Computer example essay topic

Microprocessor is the critical components of a complete computer housed on a tiny silicon chip. The microprocessor is the heart of any normal computers, whether it is a desktop, laptop or a server. The microprocessor each computer is using might be different, such as a Pentium, a K 6, a PowerPC, a Sparc or any of the many other brands and types of microprocessors; However, they all do approximately the same thing in approximately the same way. The first microprocessor was the Intel 4004 and was invented in 1971, which had tremendous impact on our society. The development of the microprocessor marked the beginning of the fourth generation of computers. Even though the 4004 was not very powerful -- all it could do was add and subtract, and it could only do that 4 bits at a time; it was amazing that everything was on one chip.

In 1972, Intel begins work on an 8-bit processor, the Intel 8008. The improved 8008, the Intel 8080 is released in 1974, which is a complete 8-bit computer on one chip. It is the first microprocessor to make it into a home computer. It is perhaps the single most important product of the 20th century. Frederick Fagin of Fairchild said "The 8080 really created the microprocessor market. The 4004 and the 8008 suggested it, but the 8080 made it real".

During the progression from 8008 to 8080, there was the Intel 432, which originally named the 8800. It was a complex, object oriented 32-bit processor that included high-level operating system support in hardware, such as process scheduling and interprocess messaging. However, the Intel 432 was resulting its own design problems, which causes the speed too slow. Intel was quickly dropping the 432, and moving aggressively to make the 8086.

Anyways, the fact that this complex design was impressive. In 1978, Intel announces the 8086, which is the 16-bit bus; it has 10 times the performance than 8080. During this innovation time period, in the late 1970's, companies like Apple, Tandy and Commodore introduced low-cost, typewriter-size computers as powerful as many of the room-sized computer that had come before. IBM having seen Apple's success recognized a new personal computer market; therefore, IBM selects the Intel 8088 for their PC and introduced in 1981.8088 is the first microprocessor that makes a real splash in the market. The PC market moved from the 8088 to the 80286 to the 80386 to the 80486 to the Pentium to the Pentium II to the Pentium to the Pentium VI. Intel makes all of these microprocessors and all of them are improvements on the basic design of the 8088.

The Pentium VI can execute any piece of code that ran on the original 8088, but it does it about 5,000 times faster. The Microprocessor - A Biography, Mike MALONE What's a "Great CPU"? By: John Bay ko (Tau).