In pictures: Transistor history

**Adam** · 16th November 2007, 03:08 AM

Early computers, such as the ENIAC, used vacuum tubes - similar to light bulbs - to do calculations and took several people to operate.

Vacuum tubes were replaced by transistors - a type of electronic switch - invented by William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain at Bell Labs.

The first working transistor was shown off just before Christmas in 1947, but was only revealed to the public six months later.

The invention of the transistor ushered in the development of the integrated circuit,- the forerunner of today's silicon chips. The first demonstration was made by Jack Kilby in 1958.

In 1965 the Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, writing in Electronics magazine, correctly predicted that the number of transistors on a chip would double every year.

The steady increase in power of silicon chip ushered in a new era of personal computing, with machines such as the Apple 1 being built by enthusiastic hobbyists.

Today's chips contain millions of transistors and are used in everything from mobile phones and computers to cars and planes.

**Snugglebunny** · 16th November 2007, 06:30 AM

Awesome - I always wonder how people think of things like this..

**kingtony** · 16th November 2007, 07:12 AM

without those great minds we wouldn't be chatting online right now

DarksieD · 16th November 2007, 02:18 PM

Early computers, such as the ENIAC, used vacuum tubes - similar to light bulbs - to do calculations and took several people to operate.

sounds like our first tv.. it used vacuum tubes as well and my dad would holler "hey kid turn the channel" and one of us would get up and turn the channel so it took several people to operate.

HMS Redneck Battle Trout · 16th November 2007, 02:28 PM

Got to love inventors who want to further technology and not to forget medical science!

-RMS Carpathia-

cadethepagan · 24th November 2007, 06:25 PM

Amazingly transistors are just a switch "On/OFF" thats is the basis of binary code and the entire frame on which computers are based. 1 = on 0 = off

**Tabbitha** · 25th November 2007, 04:55 AM

Pretty amazing stuff.

lklovelykiki24 · 25th November 2007, 06:46 PM

Thanks for posting that
Very informative

lklovelykiki24 · 25th November 2007, 06:49 PM

01001001 00100000 01110100 01101000 01101001 01101110 01101011 00100000 01010101 01001111 00100000 01000110 01101111 01110010 01110101 01101101 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01100010 01100101 01110011 01110100 00100000

16th November 2007, 03:08 AM	#1
Adam Lead Administrator Owner Join Date: Oct 1990 Posts: 6,265 Gold: 105,905 My Mood: Thanks: 54 Thanked 721 Times in 226 Posts	In pictures: Transistor history Early computers, such as the ENIAC, used vacuum tubes - similar to light bulbs - to do calculations and took several people to operate. Vacuum tubes were replaced by transistors - a type of electronic switch - invented by William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain at Bell Labs. The first working transistor was shown off just before Christmas in 1947, but was only revealed to the public six months later. The first working transistor was shown off just before Christmas in 1947, but was only revealed to the public six months later. The invention of the transistor ushered in the development of the integrated circuit,- the forerunner of today's silicon chips. The first demonstration was made by Jack Kilby in 1958. In 1965 the Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, writing in Electronics magazine, correctly predicted that the number of transistors on a chip would double every year. The steady increase in power of silicon chip ushered in a new era of personal computing, with machines such as the Apple 1 being built by enthusiastic hobbyists. Today's chips contain millions of transistors and are used in everything from mobile phones and computers to cars and planes. Get your own personal forum Like these ones - Personal forum listing Bored @ work? Play in our arcade! Useful Tips on how to use UOForums Open your own blog

16th November 2007, 06:30 AM	#2
Snugglebunny ♥Yr Mangled Heart♥ Join Date: Mar 2006 Shard: Black Water Raiders Posts: 8,766 Gold: 6,862 My Mood: Thanks: 214 Thanked 48 Times in 35 Posts	Re: In pictures: Transistor history Awesome - I always wonder how people think of things like this.. Sig courtsey of Nevaeh. He rawwwwks! AdamD: You made me cry tears of pink sadness and despair! "Two Minutes in Heaven is Better then One Minute in Heaven." I'm not wearing my business socks for nothing

16th November 2007, 07:12 AM	#3
kingtony How do you tell when you run out of invisible ink? Join Date: Jan 2007 Shard: alantic Posts: 2,662 Gold: 158 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: In pictures: Transistor history without those great minds we wouldn't be chatting online right now For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.

16th November 2007, 02:18 PM	#4
DarksieD The old guy from Atlantic Join Date: Dec 2006 Shard: Atlantic/Lake Austin Posts: 855 Gold: 2,774 My Mood: Thanks: 6 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts	Re: In pictures: Transistor history Early computers, such as the ENIAC, used vacuum tubes - similar to light bulbs - to do calculations and took several people to operate. sounds like our first tv.. it used vacuum tubes as well and my dad would holler "hey kid turn the channel" and one of us would get up and turn the channel so it took several people to operate. Last edited by DarksieD; 16th November 2007 at 02:20 PM.

16th November 2007, 02:28 PM	#5
HMS Redneck Battle Trout Madien of the Great Blue Join Date: Jun 2006 Shard: Absolutely playing no games Posts: 1,979 Gold: 3,568 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: In pictures: Transistor history Got to love inventors who want to further technology and not to forget medical science! -RMS Carpathia- -Back to the Future 2- Marty McFly: There he is, Doc! Let's land on him, we'll cripple his car. Doctor Emmett L. Brown: Marty, he's in a '46 Ford, we're in a DeLorean. He'd rip through us like we were tin foil. -RMS Carpathia-

24th November 2007, 06:25 PM	#6
cadethepagan Join Date: Jul 2007 Shard: Great Lakes Posts: 432 Gold: 92 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: In pictures: Transistor history Amazingly transistors are just a switch "On/OFF" thats is the basis of binary code and the entire frame on which computers are based. 1 = on 0 = off Power is not given, it is taken!

25th November 2007, 04:55 AM	#7
Tabbitha Administrator Join Date: Mar 2006 Shard: Europa/Snowbourn Posts: 5,896 Gold: 49,303 Blog Entries: 6 Thanks: 209 Thanked 206 Times in 116 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 1	Re: In pictures: Transistor history Pretty amazing stuff.

25th November 2007, 06:46 PM	#8
lklovelykiki24 Join Date: Dec 2006 Shard: Lake Superior Posts: 696 Gold: 2,461 My Mood: Thanks: 22 Thanked 11 Times in 6 Posts	Re: In pictures: Transistor history Thanks for posting that Very informative

25th November 2007, 06:49 PM	#9
lklovelykiki24 Join Date: Dec 2006 Shard: Lake Superior Posts: 696 Gold: 2,461 My Mood: Thanks: 22 Thanked 11 Times in 6 Posts	Re: In pictures: Transistor history 01001001 00100000 01110100 01101000 01101001 01101110 01101011 00100000 01010101 01001111 00100000 01000110 01101111 01110010 01110101 01101101 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01100010 01100101 01110011 01110100 00100000 Last edited by lklovelykiki24; 25th November 2007 at 06:50 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Looking to add to Siege history.	Silverfoot	Siege Perilous	0	9th November 2006 11:06 AM
A History of RP on Europa	Twothumb	Europa RP General	7	22nd October 2006 01:07 PM
History of UO sites	XxCrimsonKnight	Ultima Online General Discussion	3	17th October 2006 08:39 PM
[History] - Sosaria, Vol. I	Dolphoenix	Lycaeum	1	31st May 2006 10:30 PM
[History] - Sosaria, Vol. II	Dolphoenix	Lycaeum	1	31st May 2006 10:18 PM