ajcrm125 said:
But isn't that how Intel was founded? Didn't they reverse
engineer IBM's 8086 and create their own (or was it the 8080).
In fact, IBM was making x86 equivalent CPUs for a while before
they went full force with PPC. And then there's AMD who's still
doing it.. etc..etc.
Utter nonsense. Intel developed the 4004, then the 8008, and the
8080 was an outgrowth of that. Intels primary business at the time
was memory, including RAM and ePROMs. Their purpose in developing
uCs was to expand their memory business. The 8086/8 were further
developments of the 8080, and were licensed to AMD.
At that time engineers had a lot more sense than they seem to
today, and wouldn't consider designing in a sole-source part. Thus
the license was a business necessity. The AMD license lasted
through the 286, IIRC, after which AMD designed their own CPUs.
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