On 19/04/2011 13:12, Olin Lathrop wrote:
> Yes, but iRobot isn't to blame as they were one of the first (the first?)=
..
> Their name was meant to be a takeoff on "I Robot", a science fiction nove=
l
> by Isaac Asimov.  It's Apple and the copycats it spawned that overused th=
e
> name.

I suspected that. Thanks.

Oddly Intel is mentioned in A for Andromeda in 1962
(as a Computer company)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_for_Andromeda (TV production). I have the=20
Novel version and the Evil Company in the Book also is Intel.
"Fleming realises that the message contains a set of instructions for=20
the construction of another, more advanced, computer and for a program=20
to run on it. Bridger, meanwhile, has sold out to an international=20
conglomerate, Intel, represented by the sinister Kaufmann (John Hollis).=20
The British government decides to build the computer =96 at a military=20
establishment at Thorness in Scotland. The computer is switched on and=20
begins to output its first set of instructions."


Intel founded 1968 and might have been eclipsed by ARM, 68000, Z80, 6502=20
and Transputer if IBM had not made the mind-numbingly stupid choice of=20
8088 of PC (not really a "real" 16 bit CPU, nor 8086, perhaps 80186 or=20
80286 aka i286 was first major Intel 16bit part?). The x86 held back=20
Desktop OS and computing for about 10 years or more. Cf NT4.0 on 386/486=20
in 1996 with RiscOS (Feb 1989) on Archimedes (ARM Aug 1987)

Wiki says
"They used the name NM Electronics for almost a year, before deciding to=20
call their company Integrated Electronics or "Intel" for short"
Maybe they unaware of "A for Andromeda"


--=20
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