The Microprocessor Revolution

Abstract

To appreciate the full scale of the impact of microprocessors and microcomputers and to understand what these terms mean it is necessary to look at the development of electronic digital computers from the mid-1940s onwards. However, electronic computers themselves should be viewed against the long history of man’s attempts to calculate by machine. The story is a fascinating one for those who are interested and has been well documented (see, for example, Last, 1962).† Here we simply identify some of the highlights.