by Nasadowsk
<i>In 1976 Someone high up in the food chain at EMD decided that computers were a passing fad, and EMD would not build micro processor units.</i>
I wouldn't be too hard on 'em. In '76, the microprocessor was still a new concept, and the support chips weren't really there. It took the Z-80 to really get things going (it had a ram interface that reduced the parts count drastically, plus a good list of fairly decen support chips). A/D converters were still really expensive and not that great (16 bits? No. And certainly NOT linear.) 7400 series logic was popular but evolving (Today, it's still the defacto series of logic, still very popular, and TTL is THE standard).
By 1980, the arguements against it were thin. By 1985, only a luddite would have avoided it.
Given the rapid evolving micro market, lack of a clear leader, and development tools not being cheap, I can imagine GM was a bit cautious, though in typical GM fashion, I find it amazing that they weren't sourcing loco computers from Delco, who makes stuff that's so bulletproof that aerospace companie seek out their services. Really, when was the last time you had to reboot your car?
I wouldn't be too hard on 'em. In '76, the microprocessor was still a new concept, and the support chips weren't really there. It took the Z-80 to really get things going (it had a ram interface that reduced the parts count drastically, plus a good list of fairly decen support chips). A/D converters were still really expensive and not that great (16 bits? No. And certainly NOT linear.) 7400 series logic was popular but evolving (Today, it's still the defacto series of logic, still very popular, and TTL is THE standard).
By 1980, the arguements against it were thin. By 1985, only a luddite would have avoided it.
Given the rapid evolving micro market, lack of a clear leader, and development tools not being cheap, I can imagine GM was a bit cautious, though in typical GM fashion, I find it amazing that they weren't sourcing loco computers from Delco, who makes stuff that's so bulletproof that aerospace companie seek out their services. Really, when was the last time you had to reboot your car?