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by JacobAldridge 5529 days ago
I wonder if Gordon Moore had worked for IBM instead of being an Intel founder, whether that number may have been a slight bit smaller.
1 comments

Absolutely! IBM's was never motivated to improve performance for their mainframe and minicomputers as quickly as Intel improved performance for microprocessors.

Really, Moore's law is a sort of management principle rather than any kind of physical law. Simply, Intel introduces new fabrication process technology at the pace which optimises their profits.

Advance too slow and competitors will take the business, advance too fast and capital costs are higher, plus customers need payback on their current purchases. Advance at just the right pace and customers are motivated to replace perfectly good products just a few years old.