Google Doodle Celebrates a Father of the Microchip
Google is honoring Intel co-founder Robert Noyce with a doodle resembling Intel's first microprocessor, the 4004, today.
Robert Noyce was a co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957, but is mainly known because of his involvement in Intel, which he co-founded with Gordon Moore in 1968.
During his lifetime, Noyce was considered the most influential person in Silicon valley and appropriately nicknamed the "mayor of Silicon Valley". He died on June 3, 1990 at the age of 62 from a heart attack and would have celebrated his 84th birthday today. Gordon Moore will celebrate his 83rd birthday on January 3.
Noyce's professional legacy is especially known because of his microprocessor patent ("Semiconductor Device and Lead Structure") he filed in 1959 and is considered to be the documentation for the co-invention for the microchip. Noyce work took place independently from similar efforts of Jack Kilby, who presented a similar result a few months before Noyce. His patent eventually lead to the development of the 4004 processor in 1971, which was the first CPU on a chip and first commercially sold processor.
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Wolfgang Gruener is an experienced professional in digital strategy and content, specializing in web strategy, content architecture, user experience, and applying AI in content operations within the insurtech industry. His previous roles include Director, Digital Strategy and Content Experience at American Eagle, Managing Editor at TG Daily, and contributing to publications like Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware.
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DSpider Ha. I haven't seen the Google front page for ages! I always use the browser's search feature.Reply -
rosen380 Are you implying that it should read 'the' Father and guys like Ted Hoff, Mazor, Faggin, etc should get no credit what-so-ever??Reply -
mavroxur Lead wires are on all 4 sides of the 4004's die, not just the ends. And yes, I am a dork for pointing that out. :-)Reply
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LordConrad Noyce was a brilliant man, but there was only one "father" of the microchip: Jack KilbyReply
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jellico It's cool that they put up a doodle to honor Robert Noyce. However, the glaring absence of a doodle commemorating the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor was offensive to say the least. Especially considering that later in the day on the 7th, they put up a doodle to honor some obscure artist that hardly anyone has ever heard of.Reply -
f-gomes rosen380Are you implying that it should read 'the' Father and guys like Ted Hoff, Mazor, Faggin, etc should get no credit what-so-ever??Reply
No, I am not implying that. I am just pointing out that it just reads strange, they c(sh)ould have worked it out differently, I think. -
f-gomes jellicoIt's cool that they put up a doodle to honor Robert Noyce. However, the glaring absence of a doodle commemorating the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor was offensive to say the least. Especially considering that later in the day on the 7th, they put up a doodle to honor some obscure artist that hardly anyone has ever heard of.Reply
Who in their right mind would commemorate the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbour? Maybe a few crazy japanese? -
memadmax The 4004, 8008, 8080, 8088, 8086, 80286, 80386s, even the bastard childs 80188's/186's, all revolutionary for their time.....Reply
Thank god for Ice Cream and Robert Noyce.