>Does anyone know where I can find information on the development of the
>PICs or the company(s) that started it all off.
General Instruments?

>I would like to know what is making the little devils so popular?
  - Simple assembler, such that many people do not feel intimated to
    use it.  Therefore, people can bypass compilers are other vendors.
    Tools are far less intimidating than ones application.
  - One-chip design.  May be re-assuring that you don't have to figure
    out the boiler-plate CPU circuit with RAM/EPROM, etc.  Even though
    it may be easy, feels nice knowing you can immediately begin on your
    actual application.
  - PICSTART assures folks that $200 (or whatever) gets you going.  The
    SIM makes you feel like you don't need to spend the money for an
    emulator if you're cheap.  Tools are on WEB.
  - Let's face it... DIGIKEY..


I'm curious what you find.  I like Techno-History, too.