MOS Technology: Difference between revisions
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'''MOS Technology, Inc''' was a microprocessor manufacturing company most famous for its creation of the [[MOS Technology 6502|6502]] processor. | '''MOS Technology, Inc''' was a microprocessor manufacturing company most famous for its creation of the [[MOS Technology 6502|6502]] processor. | ||
The 6502 was used as the main [[CPU]] in many computers and game consoles during the late 1970s and early-to-mid-1980s. An incomplete list of machines that were built around the 6502 include: | The 6502 was used as the main [[CPU]] (Central Processing Unit) in many computers and game consoles during the late 1970s and early-to-mid-1980s. An incomplete list of machines that were built around the 6502 include: | ||
<div style="float: left; width: 48%"> | <div style="float: left; width: 48%"> | ||
<u>Home Computers</u><br> | <u>Home Computers</u><br> | ||
Revision as of 07:48, 7 April 2007
MOS Technology, Inc was a microprocessor manufacturing company most famous for its creation of the 6502 processor.
The 6502 was used as the main CPU (Central Processing Unit) in many computers and game consoles during the late 1970s and early-to-mid-1980s. An incomplete list of machines that were built around the 6502 include:
Home Computers
Acorn Electron/BBC Microcomputer
Apple II
Commodore PET
Commodore VIC-20
Commodore 64
Game consoles
Atari 2600
Nintendo Entertainment System (or NES)
Company History
The company's original target market and purpose was to provide a second source for Texas Instruments designed electronic calculators and the chips inside them.
Fortunes for the company changed dramatically in 1975. Several designers from Motorola left the company shortly after the release of the Motorola 6800 processor. MOS was a small firm with good credentials in the right area, the East coast of the USA.
The team of four design engineers was headed by Chuck Peddle and included Bill Mensch. At MOS they set about building a new CPU that would outperform the 6800 while being similar to it in purpose. The resulting 6501 design was somewhat similar to the 6800, but by using several simplifications in the design, the 6501 would be up to four times faster. [1]
Controversy
When the 6501 was released, Motorola filed suit against MOS almost immediately. The 6501 was pin compatible with Motorola's 6800 (meaning it could fit in the same board socket), however its instruction set was different. Nevertheless, MOS Technology changed the processor's design to avoid being sued. The 'lawsuit-friendly' 6502 (which was neither pin-compatible nor instruction-set compatible) was the result.[1]