Found my old key fob.

Rgbeard said:
The SX was the cheap version of the 80486. The FPU was disabled and made optional.
Click to expand...
The FPU probably failed testing but they still wanted to make money on the chip.
 
I remember that. It was seen as a bit sleazy at the time by the people I worked with. I had a 386SX....a 286 PC that was designed to be upgradable to 386. If my memory is right, that was about the time that the first usable (to me) version of windows came out, 3.1. Windows didn't handle memory very well back then, but it actually did multi-task better on a 386 than 286, so the 386sx seemed a pretty good deal to me at the time. Anyway, 386sx was, again on memory, a 386 processor with the bus size of a 286, 16 bit. Since IBM/MS were still running the memory effectively like 8 bit micros back then, it made some sense.

Motorola built much better hardware at the time, but business decisions usually aren't based on engineering or quality. Not in that industry in this country, anyway. My cynical 2 cents...
 
Worked for Intel back in the day, I had a key fob that worked well (as a key fob) until a parking lot operator lost it at SEA decades ago. At least they didn't lose the key.
 
A little bit jealous, I am. I never worked for Intel or a company that sold enough of their stuff to get us any cool stuff like that.

The 4-wire core memory board I have form an IBM 2821 control unit is too big to use as a key fob. Probably still has part of a print train image loaded though. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top