Father of the Personal Computer -- Chuck Peddle?

I always thought that Alan Kay is the father of personal computer.  Some people think it is Steve Wozniak.  Just listen to this interview with Chuck Peddle, the designer of the 6502 processor at MOS and Commodore and you may change your mind.  He also talks about BASIC and Bill Gates.  He touches on so many really interesting things.  You may not think the same way again about computer history.

Click to go to theamphour.com and listen to this interview.

The truth "from a certain point of view." -- Obi-Wan Kenobi   ;-)

Why Does the 6502 Matter?

Arguably the MOS 6502 processor was really no better than Motorola 6800 that was its direct predecessor, and why would you buy the most important part of your computer from a calculator chip company like MOS Technologies instead of a more stable company like Motorola?

The answer is clear.  $25  The 6502 was merely 1/6th the cost of a Motorola 6800.

Think about it.  Without this low price, Steve Wozniak would not have produced the Apple I and Apple II computers as we know them, and Commodore could not have produced the PET, VIC-20, C64, etc.  The Atari VCS and Nintendo NES would never have existed.

The home computer market would have evolved more slowly and in a completely different direction.