Chuck Peddle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chuck Peddle
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Peddle in 2013
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Charles Ingerham Peddle
November 25, 1937 |
| Died | December 15, 2019 (aged 82) Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Chuck Peddle |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Education | B.Sc.; University of Maine |
| Occupation | Electrical engineer |
| Years active | 1970–2015 |
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Notable work
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Charles Ingerham Peddle (born November 25, 1937 – died December 15, 2019) was an American electrical engineer. He is famous for designing important computer parts. These include the MOS Technology 6502 microchip, the KIM-1 computer, and the Commodore PET personal computer. All these used the 6502 microchip.
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About Chuck Peddle
Chuck Peddle was born in Bangor, Maine, United States. This was on November 25, 1937. When he was in high school, he worked at a radio station.
In 1955, Peddle joined the United States Marine Corps. Later, he studied at the University of Maine. He earned a degree in engineering physics. After college, he worked for General Electric. There, he helped with time-sharing computer systems.
Working with Microchips
In 1973, Peddle worked at Motorola. He helped create the 6800 processor. A processor is like the "brain" of a computer.
Peddle saw that people needed a much cheaper processor. The Motorola 6800 cost about $300. He wanted to make one that cost a lot less. But Motorola's leaders did not agree with his idea. So, he left Motorola.
He then joined a company called MOS Technology. There, he led the team that designed the 650x family of processors. These were made to be a $25 answer to the Motorola 6800.
The Famous 6502 Microchip
The most well-known chip from the 650x series was the 6502. It was created in 1975. This chip cost only 15% of what an Intel 8080 chip cost. Because it was so affordable, many companies used it.
The 6502 chip was used in many popular computers. These include the Apple II, Commodore PET, and VIC-20. It was also in Atari 8-bit computers and arcade video games. Other computers like Oric and the BBC Micro also used it.
The Atari 2600 game console used a similar chip, the 6507. The Commodore 64 used the 6510. Even the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) used a special version of the 6502.
The 6502 design was later improved. It became the 16-bit 65816 CPU. This newer chip could still work with older programs. Even today, some versions of these chips are still made and sold.
Starting a New Company
In 1980, Peddle left MOS Technology. He teamed up with Chris Fish, who helped fund Commodore Business Machines. Together, they started a company called Sirius Systems Technology. At Sirius, Peddle designed the Victor 9000 personal computer.
Chuck Peddle's Legacy
Chuck Peddle, along with Bill Mensch (who also helped design the 6502), are seen as pioneers in personal computing. Their work with the 6502 chip and their business ideas helped start the personal computer revolution. This means they played a big part in making computers available to everyone. After Peddle passed away, Bill Mensch wrote a tribute to him.
See also
In Spanish: Chuck Peddle para niños
- Group coded recording
