To the Digital Age: Research Labs, Start-Up Companies, and the Rise of Mos Technology (Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Technology)

Rating:
Summary: Excellent record of the semiconductor industry history
Review: This a truly great book documenting history of MOS technology. Even though it focuses on MOS, it is a must read for anyone who is interested in the development of semiconductor industry in the United States and Silicon Valley in perticular.

The Author takes us from Bell labs where first transistor was invented to its progress over there and then shows how Bell labs was left behind and the cutting edge moved to places like Fairchild, IBM, RCA, Texas Instruments, General Instruments. It tracks how IBM made it big and then lost the initiative to Intel and about how the great minds moved from East coast to west coast. It focuses on numerous personalities including William shockley, Gordon Moore and Andy Grove.

It is very well researched. The author had extensive access to records from above mentioned companies and he makes good use of those.

Perhaps my only criticism will be that this book is too detailed and scientifically oriented. People not familar with MOS technology may find it little overwhelming. But it is a treat for any student or researcher of this area.

Three enthusiastic thumbs up for this one.