Before RISC vs. CISC. Before ARM dominance. Before the cloud. There was the Bellmac 32.

Now officially recognized as an IEEE Milestone, the Bellmac 32 helped define what 32-bit computing would become:

Built in 1977 by Bell Labs, it was one of the earliest 32-bit microprocessors

Introduced memory protection and supervisor/user modes — setting the stage for modern OS security

Powered Unix systems, 5ESS telecom switches, and early internet infrastructure

A foundational workhorse, now honored for the impact it had behind the scenes

It didn’t make headlines like the 8086 or the 68000 — but it should have. Hats off to the engineers who helped shape the future and are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

#IEEE #BellLabs #TechHistory #Microprocessors #Bellmac32

https://spectrum.ieee.org/bellmac-32-ieee-milestone

Modern 6502

https://www.mikekohn.net/micro/modern_6502.php

Intel released a new CPU on March 22, 1993. Instead of a part number, it had a brand name. Calling it Pentium instead of 586 helped Intel's problem with clones. https://dfarq.homeip.net/what-came-after-486/ #CPUHistory #ComputerArchitecture #Innovation #TechThrowback #1990sTech #Microprocessors #RetroComputing

These editions are about 20 years apart

"Yes, you heard it right: Apache NuttX now supports the Python interpreter on ESP32-S3!

NuttX is a platform that can run applications built with programming languages other than traditional C. C++, Zig, Rust, Lua, BASIC, MicroPython, and, now, Python."

https://developer.espressif.com/blog/2025/03/nuttx-python-esp32s3/

A System For The Sixties: The RCA Studio II

https://nicole.express/2024/radio-keith-orpheum.html

A very deep dive.

"This is the story of how Apple made a mistake in the ROM of the Macintosh Classic II that probably should have prevented it from booting, but instead, miraculously, its Motorola MC68030 CPU accidentally prevented a crash and saved the day by executing an undefined instruction."

https://www.downtowndougbrown.com/2025/01/the-invalid-68030-instruction-that-accidentally-allowed-the-mac-classic-ii-to-successfully-boot-up/

Very interesting talk by Sophie Wilson about the future of microprocessors.
#sophiewilson #microprocessors
https://youtu.be/MkbgZMCTUyU

Nvidia and AMD rush to stockpile graphics cards ahead of Trump tariff that could raise prices by 40% #chips #Nvidia #AMD #Microprocessors #hardware #AI

https://www.techspot.com/news/106110-nvidia-amd-rush-stockpile-graphics-cards-ahead-trump.html

Felt just a bit sad about this news. The #Z80 was the second microprocessor that I ever coded #assembly on after the Intel x86. I remember burning an EPROM with a Z80 program that controlled the brightness level of an LED in one of my early practical microprocessor exercises in college.

https://www.techspot.com/news/102684-zilog-discontinuing-z80-microprocessor-after-almost-50-years.html

My guess is that China will be shifting to a homegrown #Linux distro and Risc-V hardware architecture.
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#China has introduced guidelines to phase out #US #microprocessors from #Intel and #AMD from government #PersonalComputers and #Servers.

The procurement guidance also seeks to sideline #Microsoft's #Windows operating system and foreign-made database software in favour of domestic options

China blocks use of Intel and AMD chips in government computers, FT reports
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/china-blocks-use-of-intel-and-amd-chips-in-government-computers-ft-reports/ar-BB1kqy6W?ocid=emmx-mmx-feeds&PC=EMMX01

Despite rumours of its demise, it would seem that #MooresLaw still holds.

#informationtechnology
#microprocessors
#microchips
#computing

#Nuclear battery produces power for 50 years without needing to charge

#Betavolt says its #battery could power #mobile #phones that never need to be charged and #drones that can fly forever

“Betavolt #atomic #energy batteries can meet the needs of long-lasting #power supply in multiple scenarios, such as #aerospace, #AI equipment, #medical equipment, #microprocessors, advanced #sensors, small drones and micro-robots,” the firm said in a press release.

independent.co.uk/tech/nuclear…

Boffins propose RISC-V microcontroller to power cubesats

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/10/05/riscv_microcontroller_space/

Ars Technica: The US Navy, NATO, and NASA are using a shady Chinese company’s encryption chips https://arstechnica.com/?p=1948695 #Tech #arstechnica #IT #Technology #microprocessors #syndication #encryption #Security #Biz&IT #USNavy #NASA #Nato

I resent that my interest in microprocessors has finally pushed me to be interested in coding. I mean it sounds silly probably. But it's true. Hated coding. Never got my college degree in part because I hated coding. And that was an engineering degree! But it's kinda everywhere, isn't it? Even as a Network Admin, I could benefit from scripting and outright coding. So I'm gonna be working on that. But as to the microprocessors, there are lots of cool pre-built frameworks that just do stuff when you hook up things to a microprocessor. Sensors. Lights. Stuff. Really easy straight-forward stuff. But if I want it to do the things I want it to do, I gotta figure out how to code it. Or gotta figure out how to tear apart someone else's code that isn't doing what I want, and making it do what I want instead. And of course paying it forward with credit.

So guess I'm falling down that rabbit hole now...

The FreeIO project was founded in March, 2000 by Diehl Martin to create Free/Open hardware designs licensed under the GNU GPL.