Posted on 06/29/2015 3:13:25 PM PDT by blam
Ray Blanco, The Daily Reckoning
June 29, 2015
Do you like your iPhone? Today, you are walking with the equivalent of what was supercomputer not too long ago — in your pocket.
The foundation for the modern semiconductor industry got its start in the late 1940s and 1950s. Electronics up until then were dependent on vacuum tubes. These weren’t, to say the least, very easy to miniaturize. But we did try to use them.
In 1946, the U.S. government built the first general-purpose electronic computer. It was called ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer) and contained over 17,000 vacuum tubes, along with an additional 90,000 bulky components. It was enormous. Something better was obviously needed for computers to become practical.
That began to happen in 1947 when engineers at Bell Labs invented the transistor.
These components could replace vacuum tubes. They could also be made much smaller. Things started changing fast. By 1954, Texas Instruments was selling them.
Then, in 1958, Texas Instruments engineer Jack Kilby (who would go on to win the Nobel Prize) invented a way to put multiple transistors on a single piece of material. He used a chip made out of germanium for its semiconducting properties. Some of the greatest inventions in history sure didn’t look that way at the start. In fact, at times, they were downright ugly. However, this ugly duckling was the world’s first integrated circuit:
Not long after, Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor found a better way to build an integrated circuit using a silicon chip. His invention was so important, we have geography named after it. It was the beginning of a big industry that specialized in making things smaller. And they did get smaller, regularly.
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Not according to Defoe...
blam
I was working that day in the South Building.
And I’m working today in the organization called SVA, or what used to be known as National Semiconductor.
AI is around the corner, Super AI happens months after that, humans stop existing hours after that.
No.
They should, they're the highest IQ group of people in the world.
The Ashkenazi Jews are the highest amoungst the Jews. Eighty percent of the Jewish immigrants to this country are Ashkenazi Jews.
Rather succinct. I was hoping for a bit more elaboration. I wasn't talking about building million transistor devices, I was thinking something more along the lines of devices with 20 or so.
Simple gate circuits, individual transistors and such.
But i'll take your word for it. I have plenty too many projects I have to work on already.
The Ashkenazi Jews are the highest amoungst the Jews.
I knew that.
Eighty percent of the Jewish immigrants to this country are Ashkenazi Jews.
I did not know that.
There was one building then on San Ysidro. I was told I was employee #54. No badges or company ID...everyone knew everyone else.
Sorry
Years ago I considered starting something like the JC Whitney of chips.
Semiconductor manufacturing equipment becomes obsolete very fast and there is always an abundance of old equipment available.
My intent was to build old chips on old equipment, cheaply because there was a time (maybe still so) when people were throwing away good equipment because the chip for it was no longer available.
Frankly, there was just no time...I was always 'running' just to keep up with the fast pace. One morning I woke up and I was old, LOL.
Maybe you could use that idea and build some old chips, eh?
That's an idea. I have no delusions about building fancy microprocessors, but gates, op-amps and transistors might be doable. Where might I find some of this equipment and what sort of costs are we looking at?
I am currently in the mood to spend some money if the purpose is sufficiently worthwhile.
That’s good stuff. I shall bookmark it, and post it anytime I see an idiot bemoaning white guilt, which I always interpret as white competence, BTW.
A rogue, even. No makeup required.
Here?
(I haven't been there in over 20 years)
They taunt "white men" because they are such a strong force to be reckoned with. I really do not think this game is going to work out for them so well as they think it will.
Wow. That's cool. I'm going to look through their stuff and see what they've got. So far I don't see any prices though.
A scanning electron microscope could come in handy.
Humans don’t stop existing...our new robotic overlords are going to need pets.
After the events of last week, who needs humans any more, I ask?!
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