OT-ish: Build-it stuff

--- woodelf <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca> wrote: Everybody wants cars too! Few actually feel the unction to build a car, but it does get done, albeit rarely. I'm curious how a uP gets concocted, and read with interest the last page of probably the 2nd issue of Make, where a dude was doing just that (although in the most rudimentary stages). My primary interest is in 80x86 stuph, but I'm not altogether limited to it. There's just more to keep ya busy. Just my personal opinion. The Mac was a trend starter, but it was too little too late, aside from the price, small memory, and closed architecture. Oi...here it goes. It was because IBM built a micro-computer that it became so successful. Ok, calm down y'all...substitute "IBM" with "big established company". All the disparate (and fun) platforms that lingered around in the 80s may have managed to cling on longer (and perhaps rool) if a "big established company" didn't get involved in the micro-computer market. I had met a guy at a job a long time ago who worked for JPL. An older man who apparently was well acquainted with the Victor line of calculators. So...when he wanted a computer, what did he buy? A Victor 9000 of course. A what? "THEY WERE A WELL ESTABLISHED COMPANY!" went the retort. It seemed to make more sense to buy something from them (to him). And to the majority of people who did, "a big established company" was a better choice. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com