The crazy world of 8-Bit personal computing truly kicked off in 1972 with the release of the Intel 8008 microprocessor. The impact of which can still be felt today — in fact, some of the designs of modern “x86” processors are built upon the foundation that the 8008 built.
But did you know…
Another company managed to get a working 8-Bit microprocessor before Intel?
The Intel 8008 had almost no design similarities to the Intel 4004 (and was not a successor)?
The initial functional design of the Intel 8008… was not actually made by Intel?
It’s all true. The history of the Intel 8008 — the CPU that formed the basis for the 8080, 8086, and the entire x86 processor family — is wild and woolly. To say the least.
So buckle up, buttercup. This is one heck of a ride.
Not based on the 4004
Let’s get this out of the way, right up front.
The Intel 4004 microprocessor was released in 1971 (the year before the 8008). The 4004 is a 4-Bit processor, while the 8008 is an 8-Bit processor.
These facts led many to believe that the 8008 was an upgraded, 8-bit version of the 4004. An easy assumption to make.
However…
The 8008 microprocessor was not based on the 4004. The 8008 was, in fact, a completely different design — not originally designed by Intel — that happened at roughly the same time as the 4004.
The Intel 4004 - Photo credit: Thomas Nguyen
These two chips are wildly different — the fact that the “4004” and “8008” have similar names is nothing but marketing.
So, if the 8008 was not originally designed by Intel… where the heck did it come from?
Well… San Antonio, Texas. Obviously.
Computer Terminal Corp
A company down in Texas named “Computer Terminal Corporation” was building a programmable computer terminal with an 8-bit CPU design.
A truly cool looking machine, with a massively widescreen CRT monitor: The Datapoint 2200.
Fun historical tidbit: One of the goals of the Datapoint 2200 was to replace the IBM Punch Card. Towards that end, the widescreen monitor on the Datapoint 2200 was almost exactly the same dimensions (displaying 12 rows of 80 characters) as those Punch Cards.
An IBM Punch Card
But this was 1969.
Which meant that there were no off-the-shelf CPUs that those nerdy Texans could use to build their 8-Bit machine. So they did what any good nerds would do… they built their own CPU design — using a wide array of individual components — on a large board.
A shot of the “core CPU board” of the Datapoint 2200. Photo courtesy: oldcomputers.net
The result is an “8-Bit CPU” (on a big ole’ board) powering the world’s first personal computer.
Historical Argument Time: Whether or not the Datapoint 2200 qualifies as the first “personal computer” has been debated for decades. One thing is certain… it is the first mass produced, programmable computer terminal. You could program in BASIC and run your programs locally. And, considering the size of the machine, it fits the definition of a Personal Computer — before any others were mass produced — in the opinion of The Lunduke Journal.
Obviously, this approach to the CPU board had some down-sides.
The vast number of individual an unique components on the CPU board for the 2200 meant that shortages or changes in any individual part could cause delays, re-designs, or wild pricing fluctuations. Plus it meant that building each CPU board was a time-intensive process. Then there was the heat issue. That board generated a lot of heat.
A Datapoint 2200 with the case removed. Photo courtesy: oldcomputers.net
To resolve these issues, Computer Terminal Corporation began working with two companies. Both competing to shrink large portions of the Datapoint’s 2200 8-Bit CPU into as small a number of chips as possible.
Those companies: Intel and Texas Instruments.
The TMX-1795 & Intel 1201
Intel and Texas Instruments were in a fierce competition to build the first 8-Bit microprocessor… based (very, very closely) on the designs of the Datapoint 2200. Both companies were, quite literally, miniaturizing the 2200’s CPU board design into a single chip.
It was a race. And these companies needed to move fast.
The first company to complete a functional microprocessor was Texas Instruments, with the TMX-1795.
The TMX-1795 CPU. Photo courtesy: Computer History Museum
Unfortunately for Texas Instruments, Computer Terminal Corporation was disappointed by the performance of the TMX-1795 (as it performed far slower than the Datapoint 2200’s larger, custom CPU board).
A few months later, Intel would also cross the finish line: providing the Intel 1201 CPU for evaluation to be used in the Datapoint 2200.
The Intel 1201, just like Texas Instrument’s offering, was simply not performing well enough.
In the end, Computer Terminal Corporation opted to not use either microprocessor — sticking with their larger, in-house designed board for the final release of the Datapoint 2200.
Texas Instruments, which had accomplished something truly remarkable — the development of the world’s first 8-Bit microprocessor (based on the design of the Datapoint) — opted to shelve their TMX-1795 entirely. It never went into production and never got any public release… existing only as a handful of demo and prototype units.
Intel, on the other hand, had other ideas…
The deal with Intel
Not long after the Intel 1201 project had been dropped… Seiko approached Intel about the idea of using this new 8-Bit CPU in a desktop calculator. But… who owned the rights to the 8-Bit 1201 chip? Intel or Computer Terminal Corp?
Luckily for Intel, the deal with Computer Terminal Corporation was extremely vague. In fact, it existed entirely as notes on a purchase order. There was no other contract, whatsoever. Seriously.
One of the most critical deals in all of computer history exists as nothing more than a few lines on a purchase order. How crazy is that?
But, as luck would have it, we have an actual copy of that purchase order.
This purchase order was uncovered and preserved by the sales rep
Note the purchase amount: $3,000,000. That’s for 100,000 Intel 1201 chips… at $30 each.
Now here’s where everything gets a bit... funky. We're getting into brutal, cut-throat business here.
See that note scribbled at the top of the Purchase Order? “P.O. on hold - awaiting customer schedule.”
The reason for that note: Due to financial issues, Computer Terminal Corporation put a small delay on the CPU project. But then, when the project resumed, Intel missed the deadline (regardless of the delay). And the chip, when delivered, performed far slower than expected.
Plus… No Intel 1201 chips were ever delivered.
So… who owed who money? Based on the wording in the Purchase Order… it wasn’t at all cut and dried. This could have turned into a long legal battle to settle that question.
Intel used this opportunity to pressure Computer Terminal Corporation into giving the entire intellectual property of the 1201 chip to Intel… in exchange for simply dropping the matter entirely.
Intel would then, almost immediately, turn around and begin selling a slightly modified 1201 CPU (now called the “8008” for marketing purposes).
The 8008’s legacy
That new 8008 CPU would eventually lead to the 8080, 8086, 80286, and the full line of x86 processors that would almost totally define Intel and the PC industry for the next several decades.
While the 8008 was not the only 8-Bit CPU to exist — the Z80, the 6502, and so many others appeared in the years that followed — the impact that it had on the world of computing is truly mind-boggling.
And the company that did all the initial design — Computer Terminal Corporation — didn’t see a penny for it. They, literally, gave it to Intel. And, boy-oh-boy, did Intel run with it.
Because it deserves to be marveled at… here is a detailed die shot of the Intel 8008. Ain’t it purdy?
The world’s first 8-Bit CPU… really wasn’t the world’s first. Texas Instruments beat Intel by a few months… but they never went into production.
Historical Tidbit: Even though the TMX-1795 never went into production, Texas Instruments filed several patents on it over the course of the next few years. And, being as both the TMX-1795 and the 8008 were based on the exact same system (the Datapoint 2200)… this laid the groundwork for lawsuits galore.
And Intel isn’t really the company responsible for creating the instruction set and architectural design of the 8008 — which formed the basis of almost their entire processor line for decades. That honor goes to Computer Terminal Corporation… of San Antonio, Texas.
Wild, right?
Explains why this poor lady, from an original Datapoint 2200 advertisement, has the "I just got forced into giving away all of our hard work to Intel" look.
GNOME & Fedora call Jews "Nazis". Canonical, Debian, & GNOME call XLibre "Nazis". NixOS calls Conservatives "Nazis". And now KDE says Elon Musk, and all X users, are "Nazis".
Python Says Discriminatory DEI Policies More Important Than $1.5 Million Dollars
The Python Software Foundation has turned down a $1.5 Million Dollar grant from the US government, as it would require them to cease discriminatory Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion practices.
$20,000 Bounty Offered to Bribe FFmpeg Team to Fire Contributor
A popular YouTuber named Theo Browne offered $20k to the Open Source FFmpeg team if they remove their social media person, who Theo calls a "motherf***er".
Ads are filling the entirety of the Web -- websites, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc. -- at an increasing rate. Prices for those ad placements are plummeting. Consumers are desperate to use ad-blockers to make the web palatable. Google (and others) are desperate to break and block ad-blockers. All of which results in... more ads and lower pay for creators.
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A Tech Journalist interviewed me for a hit-piece article. But the questions made them look bad, and they shelved the story. So I'm publishing their hit-piece for them.
Back in September, shortly after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, I was contacted by a Tech Journalist writing for FossForce.com (a smaller, Open Source focused publication) who was working on an article around Open Source, Antifa, and the Lunduke Journal’s coverage of those topics.
This particular outlet had, several months prior, run an “anti-Lunduke” hit piece without first reaching out for comment — which resulted in their most popular article (at least on social media) in quite some time.
With that in mind, it seemed reasonable that they’d want to repeat that success with another “anti-Lunduke” story.
This time they were doing the responsible thing. They reached out to the subject of the hit-piece article with questions. I like encouraging Tech Journalists when they do actual journalism, so I answered each and every query with easy-to-quote responses.
But, it would appear that the answers they received were not conducive to creating the hit-piece they were hoping for — my guess is they realized their questions made them look like the villain in the story. The villain they, clearly, hoped to portray me as.
They opted to not publish the piece.
So I’m publishing their hit-piece for them.
Below is every question — and every answer (with no edits) — which I was asked, on September 19th, by a Tech Journalist by the name of Christine Hall, writing for FossForce.
Fair warning: This is very, very politically charged.
Enjoy.
September 19th
Hall:
The last time I mentioned you in an article, you castigated me for not reaching out to you beforehand. Well, I’m reaching out now. We’ll see what comes of this.
You do recognize that the vast majority of organizations using the term antifa as a descriptor are not in the least bit terrorist and pose no threat to society -- and indeed, the only threats they might pose to fascist groups are not physical or life-harming?
Lunduke:
Hello Christine! Nice to hear from you!
Many, if not most, of those proclaiming support for Antifa (within Open Source) have also made statements encouraging or supporting violence and discrimination.
Regardless of that fact -- which I have documented extensively in Lunduke Journal coverage -- when violent acts are committed (such as murder, riots, and lynchings) in the name of “Antifa”, to turn around and immediately declare yourself to be “Antifa” is a clear declaration of support of that violence.
Hall:
And why did you feel it necessary to call out Danielle Foré’s [the founder of the elementary OS Linux Distribution] trans status in such an ugly manner?
Lunduke:
There is a noteworthy overlap between “Trans activism” and support for political violence -- including in the recent murder of Charlie Kirk (the murderer’s boyfriend was “Trans”).
In the case of Daniel Fore, he, a leader of an Open Source project, regularly calls for discrimination (and violence) against people he disagrees with -- often in conjunction with his self-declaration as “Trans”.
Thus, his declaration of being “Trans” becomes a part of the overall story.
It is worth noting here that The Lunduke Journal has never -- and would never -- call for discrimination or violence against someone because of how they identify or who they may (or may not) vote for.
This is in stark contrast those, such as Mr. Fore, who consider themselves “Trans” or “Antifa” -- who actively advocate for both discrimination and violence.
Hall:
Mentioning a person’s trans status in ways that are pertinent to your argument necessates rudeness such as calling her a “dude who likes to wear dresses”?
Lunduke:
Dan Fore is, in fact, a dude who likes to wear dresses.
The only reason to view that as a negative is if you view dudes wearing dresses as a negative.
Hall:
I’ll quote you on that, which I’m pretty sure won’t bother you in the least.
Lunduke:
Absolutely! Quote anything I say here. In fact, I suggest quoting absolutely everything I’ve written to you here, today.
Hall:
You also understand, don’t you, that voicing disagreement with an assessment made by POTUS is not only legal but a healthy part of the national dialog.
Lunduke:
Absolutely! Did I say somewhere that it was illegal to disagree with a politician? It seems unlikely that I have ever said that.
Hall:
Also, how would you reply to this:
There have been very few murders linked to individuals associated with Antifa, some incidents of rioting attributed to Antifa supporters, and no credible evidence of lynchings conducted in the name of Antifa. Compared to far-right groups, violence attributed to Antifa is much less frequent and lethal, with only one suspected kill—Aaron Danielson in Portland, by an anti-fascist activist—officially confirmed in recent U.S. history.
Lunduke:
Murder is bad. I am opposed to all murder.
In the context of these discussions, bearing in mind the Kirk murder is important (as many statements were made in response to it). The murderer of Kirk appears to have been pro-Trans and pro-Antifa (based on all available information).
Hall:
Is there any evidence that the suspect was part of an antifa group? I haven’t seen any.
Lunduke:
I have seen some reporting to this effect (including statements from family and messages he wrote).
But, far more important to this story, is the response to the murder among Antifa supporters (including those within Open Source). A large portion of Antifa supporters have celebrated the murder as justified because it killed someone they considered to be a “fascist”.
Hall:
Also, no group should be held responsible for what some deranged person who identifies with the group has done.
Lunduke:
I agree that a broader group should not be held responsible for the actions of a small number of individuals.
However, and this is critically important, it is entirely appropriate to hold people responsible for their own statements and actions.
With that in mind: The overall messaging of Antifa (and Antifa supporters) tends heavily towards violence. Punching, killing, molotov cocktails, etc. are all common messaging used by Antifa (including by those I quote within the Open Source world -- many of whom have advocated violence against myself).
Advocating for violence, then celebrating when violence is committed, are not good things.
Yet we see a great deal of that among Open Source supporters of Antifa.
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