Motorola 68000 Facts for Kids

The Motorola 68000 was a special computer chip called a microprocessor. It was made by a company named Motorola in 1979. Think of a microprocessor as the "brain" of a computer or a game console.

One of the most famous places the Motorola 68000 was used was inside the Sega Mega Drive (also known as the Sega Genesis in North America). This chip helped the game console run all its cool games!

The Motorola 68000 was a powerful chip for its time. It could handle information in chunks of 16 bits or 32 bits, which made it very good at running different kinds of computer programs. Later, Motorola made an even newer chip called the Motorola 68010, which was like an upgraded version of the 68000.

What is a Microprocessor?
- How Microprocessors Work
History of the 68000
- Where the 68000 Was Used
Successors to the 68000
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What is a Microprocessor?

A microprocessor is a tiny computer on a single chip. It's the main part of a computer that does all the calculations and makes decisions. It's like the central processing unit (CPU) for many devices.

How Microprocessors Work

Microprocessors follow instructions from computer programs. They take in data, process it, and then send out results. This happens super fast, allowing computers to do many tasks, from playing games to browsing the internet.

History of the 68000

The Motorola 68000 was designed to be a very flexible and powerful chip. When it came out in 1979, it was one of the most advanced microprocessors available.

Where the 68000 Was Used

Besides the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, the Motorola 68000 was used in many other important computers and devices:

Early Apple Macintosh computers: These were some of the first computers to have a graphical user interface (like the windows and icons you see on computers today).
Amiga computers: Another popular line of personal computers known for their graphics and sound.
Atari ST computers: Competitors to the Amiga, also popular for games and creative work.
Arcade game machines: Many classic arcade games from the 1980s and early 1990s used the 68000 to power their action.
Workstations: Powerful computers used for professional tasks like engineering and design.

The 68000 was so popular because it was fast and easy for programmers to work with.

Successors to the 68000

After the Motorola 68000, Motorola continued to make even better chips in the same family.

Motorola 68010: This was the first upgrade, making some tasks a bit faster.
Motorola 68020, 68030, and 68040: These chips became more and more powerful, adding new features and speeding up computers even more. They were used in later Macintosh computers and other advanced systems.
Motorola 68060: This was one of the last and most powerful chips in the 68k family.

Even though newer chips came out, the original Motorola 68000 remained important for a long time, especially in game consoles like the Sega Mega Drive.