4004 and IC history / was Re: Vintage computer photogallery

[Chuck Guzis]

On 12 Oct 2007 at 23:02, Brent Hilpert wrote:

> Can't testify to it's accuracy but one of my favorite quips about the 4004
> is the reason it had that multiplexed 4-bit bus/machine cycle was to squish
> it into a 16-pin package because management didn't want to tool up for larger
> packages.

Sounds like an urban legend to me.  24-pin packages were around in 
the Intel line then, I believe.  In any case, the 8008 followed suit 
with an 18-pin package.  I suspect that multiplexing didn't matter 
much to the overall speed of the thing.  

While the 8080 wasn't multiplexed, the 8085 was, as was the 
8086/8088.    I don't think it was thought to matter.

Cheers,
Chuck