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High school grad builds 8-bit computer from scratch

digitaltrends.com

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Re: High school grad builds 8-bit computer from scratch

#11

Post by [deleted] »

stan_rogers wrote: post #5
zeteo wrote: post #2

By some definition of "scratch", we've also built 8-bit computers from scratch in my Electronics class. My respect for this student's accomplishment is proportional to how much of the processor he has designed and built himself; opcode design and management is a highly nontrivial task. On the other hand, if he has built the processor from pre-existing schematics, the accomplishment simply shows a steady soldering han…

No, the processor appears to be constructed from 74LSxxx TTL logic chips. The memory is 2x32KB off-the-shelf SRAM units, but there comes a point where building things out of quad J-K flip-flops just becomes an exercise in patience and unnecessary spending. The registers are FFs, why make all of the memory that way? Just to say you did it? It doesn't add to the learning experience, just the drudgery.

[deleted]

Re: High school grad builds 8-bit computer from scratch

#12

Post by zeteo »

mbrzuzy wrote: post #7
zeteo wrote: post #2

By some definition of "scratch", we've also built 8-bit computers from scratch in my Electronics class. My respect for this student's accomplishment is proportional to how much of the processor he has designed and built himself; opcode design and management is a highly nontrivial task. On the other hand, if he has built the processor from pre-existing schematics, the accomplishment simply shows a steady soldering han…

It's still pretty impressive for a high school grad. Not to mention that he was able to code an OS and a few games.

AFAIK, the minimum definition for an OS usually contains either a file system or processes. I see no indication of that in this case.

Re: High school grad builds 8-bit computer from scratch

#13

Post by mbrzuzy »

omaranto wrote: post #9
mbrzuzy wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's still pretty impressive for a high school grad. Not to mention that he was able to code an OS and a few games.

Aren't most people that make computers high school graduates?

It says he just graduated high school. So I assume he isn't in college yet.

I suppose I should have worded my comment better.

Re: High school grad builds 8-bit computer from scratch

#15

Post by zeteo »

palish wrote: post #3
zeteo wrote: post #2

By some definition of "scratch", we've also built 8-bit computers from scratch in my Electronics class. My respect for this student's accomplishment is proportional to how much of the processor he has designed and built himself; opcode design and management is a highly nontrivial task. On the other hand, if he has built the processor from pre-existing schematics, the accomplishment simply shows a steady soldering han…

Did you watch the video? This is inspiring to me on many levels. This probably earned him a salaried job at essentially any place he wants to work. Or at the very least an internship. I hope he considers skipping college. There's no reason for him to be driven into ~$50k worth of debt, and I've certainly been happy with my decision not to go.

There are thousands, probably tens of thousands of people out there who have built a 8-bit computer (usually Z80 based), according to schematics, from a microprocessor, memory chips, and a bunch of TTL chips. (I know there were at least twenty at my old school, and it was a small college.) It's one college class out of more than thirty, and by no means a replacement for college as a whole.

Re: High school grad builds 8-bit computer from scratch

#17

Post by stephen_g »

stan_rogers wrote: post #5
zeteo wrote: post #2

By some definition of "scratch", we've also built 8-bit computers from scratch in my Electronics class. My respect for this student's accomplishment is proportional to how much of the processor he has designed and built himself; opcode design and management is a highly nontrivial task. On the other hand, if he has built the processor from pre-existing schematics, the accomplishment simply shows a steady soldering han…

No, the processor appears to be constructed from 74LSxxx TTL logic chips. The memory is 2x32KB off-the-shelf SRAM units, but there comes a point where building things out of quad J-K flip-flops just becomes an exercise in patience and unnecessary spending. The registers are FFs, why make all of the memory that way? Just to say you did it? It doesn't add to the learning experience, just the drudgery.

Yep... In the long run, I think you would get at least equal educational value by prototyping some parts of the computer in TTL logic, and then writing it in VHDL for an FPGA. Then, you could go into far more advanced things like pipelining, instruction caching and even multi-core design...

And it would be a lot faster (both in terms of building the thing, and in terms of how fast the processor would clock) and cheaper.

Re: High school grad builds 8-bit computer from scratch

#18

Post by sliverstorm »

Almaviva wrote: post #14

Connecting this with the article about the person who smelted his own sword, I wonder if it's possible for one person to single-handedly build a computer starting from Stone Age technology and raw materials?

I'm going to say "no", assuming that when you say "computer", you mean transistor-based.

I am not an expert on the subject, but I suspect making a facility that can manufacture thousands or millions of transistors, and then operating that facility would take obscenely more man-hours than one man has. Even if his goal was only a 4004, or even just a bunch of breadboards full of TO-92's.

Vacuum tube based might be possible for a very simple computer, if automating the glass-blowing and delicate assembly isn't too hard. After all, at least it's macro- rather than micro-!

Re: High school grad builds 8-bit computer from scratch

#19

Post by redthrowaway »

Almaviva wrote: post #14

Connecting this with the article about the person who smelted his own sword, I wonder if it's possible for one person to single-handedly build a computer starting from Stone Age technology and raw materials?

Sure it is, but you have to define it better. He could build a difference engine much easier than he could build a system-on-chip. The difference engine would require metalworking and precision tools; the SoC would require a working digital computer to design, which requires lasers and other production technologies that in turn require advanced production technologies to make. Even if you just wanted to make a basic 4-bit machine with vacuum tubes, you'd still have to invent all of the preceding requisite technologies just to make the constituent components.

A mechanical device would be much easier, and would be well within the capability of a single person with all of the prerequisite knowledge to make. Just look at the Antikythera Mechanism.

Re: High school grad builds 8-bit computer from scratch

#20

Post by systemizer »

palish wrote: post #3
zeteo wrote: post #2

By some definition of "scratch", we've also built 8-bit computers from scratch in my Electronics class. My respect for this student's accomplishment is proportional to how much of the processor he has designed and built himself; opcode design and management is a highly nontrivial task. On the other hand, if he has built the processor from pre-existing schematics, the accomplishment simply shows a steady soldering han…

Did you watch the video? This is inspiring to me on many levels. This probably earned him a salaried job at essentially any place he wants to work. Or at the very least an internship. I hope he considers skipping college. There's no reason for him to be driven into ~$50k worth of debt, and I've certainly been happy with my decision not to go.

I'm guessing that he built this computer based on some DIY project, which means he followed directions. In college, the most important things you learn involve not following directions. Instead its about teaching you how to "think" and following directions doesn't involve "thinking" at the level that it is taught at college.
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