On 6/4/2010 11:44 AM, Richard Crowley wrote:
"K6LHA" Len Anderson wrote...
Almost ALL developments in electronics began as industry projects, even
the IC. There is some controversy in the industry whether Intel or TI
made the "first IC." Intel's first IC was for an Asian customer to use
in a four-function calculator.

Intel's first commercial IC products were static (volatile) RAM chips
(like the
3101) which replaced the magnetic cores used even in solid-state computers
of the era (1960s). It wasn't until 1971 that Intel marketed the first
monolithic
microprocessor product, the 4004. Originally designed, as Mr. Anderson
said,
for the (now defunct) Japanese customer Busicom for a desk calculator.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busicom

Though I might agree with you in part, There have been major advances
in Electroincs due to non industry projects too.

Of course that was then.. This is now.

Back in the old days several major advances in electroincs were brought
about by some tinker, tinkering around with stuff and learning (I am
fond of saying Marconi had to have been an amateur radio operator cause
before him there were no professionals in the field and thus no industry)

However... With today's VLSI circuits... You do need an "Infrastructure"
to "Tinker" and short of folks like Mr. Gates and partners... Not many
people have that kind of resource on their own.