Lateral Reading_ Moore's Law
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Purdue University *
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Course
176
Subject
Mathematics
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
Pages
2
Uploaded by BrigadierCloverZebra22
CNIT 17600
Lateral Reading: Moore’s Law
Tangent 1
When reading the article, one quotation that stuck out to me was
“Integrated circuits will lead to
such wonders as home computers, or at least terminals connected to a central computer, automatic
controls for automobiles, and personal portable communications equipment” (Heffernan, 2022). This led
me to this question: What was it about integrated circuits that made Moore believe that it would change
the future of electronics?
To answer this question, I used the article “
1965: "Moore’s Law Predicts the Future of Integrated
Circuits” (n.d.).
I chose this source because it seemed more credible than other options. Also, it focused
more specifically on what Moore thought was so special about integrated circuits and the changes they
could make rather than just the idea of them in general. Because of the specific nature of the question, this
article was most fitting. It reads, “he projected that the number of components per chip would reach
65,000; a doubling every 12 months” (“1965: Moore’s Law, n.d.). The fact that we now had the ability to
cram more components onto each circuit would change the future of technology and its capabilities.
Tangent 2:
Another section that stood out to me in “Is Moore’s Law Really Dead?” was where it stated,
“Carver Mead…playfully dubbed its projections a law” (Heffernan, 2022). As someone who does not
know much about the development of technology, it seemed to me as if Mead took Moore’s ideas and
called them his own. What did Mead do that qualified him to make this decision?
To help answer this question, I visited a Wikipedia page on Carver Mead. Although many believe
that Wikipedia is not a reliable source, Mannix argued in his article that
Wikipedia is “actually the most
reliable form of information ever created” (2022). Along with providing accurate details,
this source had
the most information on Mead’s work and his relationship with Moore. The page stated,
“Mead has mad
e
contributions to the development and design of semiconductors, digital chips, and silicon compilers,
technologies which form the foundations of modern very-large-scale integration chip desi
gn” (“Carver
Mead”, 2023). It also explained how it was the collaboration between Mead and Moore that inspired
Mead to explore the bounds of Moore’s law. Mead did not steal any of Moore’s ideas; he merely
expanded on them.
Summary:
This article is about Moore’s Law, which is the idea that the number of transistors in an integrated
circuit doubles about every two years. Moore’s Law had a big impact on the development of technology,
specifically the development of integrated circuits. The article also outlines how some experts have been
bringing up some challenges surrounding the law, with some even claiming that the law is now dead. In
summary, the article explains the development and application of Moore’s Law as well as its significance
in the growing semiconductor industry.
This article connects to CNIT176 because, in this class, we are meant to learn about different
technology architectures and systems, and integrated circuits are an important component in those. ICs are
an important part of the history of computing, and it is very likely that we would not have many of the
systems that we have today without the early ideas of Gordon Moore. This article could be helpful in a
future IT career because Moore’s Law is still applicable today. For example, Moore’s Law has contributed
to the advancement towards stronger, faster computers. Not only this, but it has also contributed to
developments in mobile technology, such as smartphones. It has aided a great deal of innovation in the
world of technology, and it will likely be useful in the future of IT as well.
The only potential issue that I see in this article is the fact that the author seems very pro-Moore’s
Law. When discussing the law, Heffernan uses phrases such as “Moore’s essay is a delight” (2022), “The
essay’s strength…” (2022), and “It was a hit” (2022). Other than potentially biased language, I did not
find any errors in this article.
Resources:
Heffernan, V. (2022, November 22).
Is Moore’s law really dead?
Wired.
https://www.wired.com/story/moores-law-really-dead/
Mannix, L. (2022, September 13).
Evidence suggests wikipedia is accurate and reliable. when are we
going to start taking it seriously?
. The Sydney Morning Herald.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/evidence-suggests-wikipedia-is-accurate-and-reliable-when-are-we-goi
ng-to-start-taking-it-seriously-20220913-p5bhl3.html
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, December 6).
Carver Mead
. Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carver_Mead
1965: “Moore’s law” predicts the future of Integrated Circuits
. 1965: “Moore’s Law” Predicts the Future
of Integrated Circuits | The Silicon Engine | Computer History Museum. (n.d.).
https://www.computerhistory.org/siliconengine/moores-law-predicts-the-future-of-integrated-circuits/
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