Summary, photos & videos of Oct 1st IEEE Panel: Intel's Transition to Success!
This was a hugely succcessful panel session on Intel's transitions, twists and turns into the world's most successful semiconductor company of all time. Many attendees complemented our 2 panelists and myself for a great learning experience and intellectually stimulating session. The great stories told by Ted and Dave is what tech history should be all about, IMHO!
It was certainly a team effort, as evidenced by our planning session last week, Gwen Caldwell's superb job of making the rotating view graphs, and Brian "pulling a rabit out of a hat" by securing the NI venue at the 11th hour after Agilent cancelled!
Ted Hoff made several outstanding contributions to Intel's success which were mentioned last night:
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Conceiving separate read/write lines for Intel's 1103 1K DRAM, in lieu of the requirement for 1.5volt signal to restore the memory cells which were just read/written from the chip. The success of the 1103 established Intel as a brand name start-up, provided revenue to fund improvements in their semiconductor process, and generated cash to pay bills/salaries.
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Generation of a computer model/iterative simulator to help refine Intel's semiconductor process.
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Creation and specification of design tools/ development system for the 4004 microprocessor chip set
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Design and development of 1st LSI Codec/filter that could be used for anytime slot within a DS1 (T1) or E1 line that were used to interconnect Telco central offices.
Dave House made equally valuable contributions to the company's success:
- Herculean efforts to get the 1103 DRAM to work in the field. Dave visited all of Intel's computer customers to get feedback that enabled Intel to correct deficiencies in the part so that it would work in a memory system
- Establishing Intel's "marketing machine" from 1976 to 1978: seminars, systems approach to microprocessors, FAEs, etc
- Telling Andy Grove that marketing was important and Intel's microprocessor chips would not sell themselves without a decent marketing budget
- Very skillfully running Intel's Microprocessor Div as GM for 13 years
- Leading the team that convinced IBM to design in the 8088 with 8 bit peripherals and I/O bus, rather than microprocessor chip sets from Moto or Zilog (which had a better microprocessor architecture)
- Coining the term "Intel Inside," but more importantly enticing IBM and other computer customers to advertise that Intel was inside their PCs by writing them a check to do so.
- Getting Intel to make microprocessors their main business, displacing semiconductor memories in 1983. Incredibly, Dave revealed that throughout the 1970s Intel made more money on microprocessor development systems/In Circuit Emulators than they did on microprocessor chip set sales.
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Thanks to Brian Berg for taking 5 photos- attached & can be downloaded from:
Rotating Slides showing chip photos, MOS circuit diagrams, Intel pics, etc:
Ken Pyle uploaded the first two segments are on ViodiTV (more to follow) and can be streamed from:
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Alan's closing comment at end of panel session:
"Our 2 semiconductor icons will be signing autographs in the parking lot, provided you give them a circuit schematic or chip photo to sign!" And indeed, several attendees did ask for Ted and Dave's autograph! :-)
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Ted was extremely pleased with the flow of discussion and especially enjoyed how he and Dave complemented each other- often acting as foils
Dave's post event comment: "Alan, You did a great job of making this happen and did a superb job of moderating the panel!"
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From Ken Pyle:
Silicon Valley Legends Ted Hoff and Dave House Introduction by Alan Weissberger
Group photo taken after close of panel session: Ted, Dave and Alan (from left to right)
Alan Weissberger introduces panelists and Silicon Valley legends, Ted Hoff and Dave House. As Weissberger points out, Hoff and House were instrumental players in helping build the foundation in the 1970s and 1980s for Intel to become an enduring brand and a symbol of Silicon Valley. In the videos that follow, Hoff and House share their inside stories on Intel, the process of invention that led to the microprocessor and the strategy that turned Intel from invisible to a consumer-demanded brand.