12 Dec
2006
12 Dec
'06
11:32 a.m.
Are you asking only about chip design software, or are you including
circuit design software?
IBM had proprietary schematic editing, automated layout, automated
manufacturing, etc in the early 1960's if not earlier. Simulation too
if I remember correctly. The schematics were printed on line printers
and were (are) called Automated Logic Diagrams (ALD). See e.g.
http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/rd/082/ibmrd0802F.pdf
http://ed-thelen.org/1401Project/ALDs-fromAustralia.html
There is more detail in http://bitsavers.trailing-
edge.com/pdf/ibm/logic
Data entry was originally text based. When the 2250 graphic display
unit became available around 1967, IBM moved from text-based ALD
editing to graphical. See e.g.
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=805397
It would be pretty wonderful if all of THAT code was still around.
Could run
it under simulation.
Brian