Editing first

{{title|First}}
'''First''' in computer engineering is almost always a controversial topic. Historically, many products were often designed around the same time by different organizations and were introduced around the same time. Below is a list of "firsts".

== First Digital Computer ==
[[File:Atanasoff-Berry Computer at Durhum Center.jpg|right|250px|thumb|An ABC replica at the Iowa State University.]]
The argument over the first general purpose digital computer was so controversial, it actually made it all the way to a U.S. federal court. Candidates for the first digital computer:

* [[Model K]]
* [[Z2]]
* [[Atanasoff–Berry computer]] (ABC)
* [[ENIAC]]

Atanasoff's computer, [[Atanasoff–Berry computer]] (ABC) was conceived in 1939 at the Iowa State University where he worked along with the help of a graduate student, Clifford Berry. In 1947, [[ENIAC]] applied for [https://www.google.com/patents/US3120606 US Patent 3120606] for their computer which was granted in 1964. In the landmark case ''[[Honeywell, Inc. v. Sperry Rand Corp.]]'', in a controversial ruling, the court credited [[John Vincent Atanasoff]] with the invention of the electronic [[digital computer]]. The same case ended up invalidating the ENIAC patent, leaving the invention of the electronic digital computer in the public domain.

Just two years earlier, in 1937, [[George Stibitz]] conceived his own relay-based digital computer, the ''[[Model K]]'' at [[Bell Labs]]. By the end of the year Bell Labs authorized a full research project which resulted in the ''[[Model I]]'' (formerly the ''Complex Number Computer'') in late 1939.

Around the very same time the ABC was being developed in the United States, [[Konrad Zuse]], a German civil engineer, conceived the ''[[Z2]]''. The Z2 was a [[relay computer|relay-based digital computer]] consisting of around 2,000 relays. Allied bombing during World War II destroyed much of the original plans. 

== First Microprocessor ==
[[File:intel 4004 chip.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Intel {{intel|4004}}]]
The first microprocessor is a subject of heated debate. Below is a number of popular candidates:

* [[AiResearch]]'s [[MP944]]
* [[Intel]]'s {{intel|MCS-4/4004|4004}}
* [[Fairchild]]'s {{fairchild|PPS-25}}
* [[Texas Instruments]]' {{ti|TMX1795}}

With development starting in 1968 and completing around June of 1970, the [[MP944]] chipset is one of the earliest examples of a complete VLSI micro-computer system chipset. The [[MP944]] is 20-bit microprocessor designed by Garrett AiResearch specifically for the [[wikipedia:Grumman F-14 Tomcat|Grumman F-14 Tomcat]]'s Central Air Data Computer. The project remained classified for over 40 years. In early 1970 at least three additional microprocessors were already under development. Intel started working on the {{intel|4004}} in April 1970. According to a number of source, the Fairchild's PPS-25 was initially introduced in the second quarter 1971<ref>Ogdin, Jerry. "Microprocessor scorecard." Euromicro Newsletter 1.2 (1975): 43-77.</ref>. This would place it 2 quarters ahead of Intel's {{intel|4004}} which was introduced in November 1971. [[TI]] announced, albeit never actually commercialized, the {{ti|TMX1795}} which is effectively TI's own implementation of Intel's {{intel|8008}} - both were based on the same specifications drafted by the [[Computer Terminal Corporation]].

=== First Commercial Microprocessor ===
From the list above, two processors might qualify for the "first commercial microprocessor":

* [[Intel]]'s {{intel|MCS-4/4004|4004}}
* [[Fairchild]]'s {{fairchild|PPS-25}}

== First CMOS Microprocessor ==
The first [[CMOS]] microprocessor is the {{arch|8}} [[RCA]] {{rca|1802}} introduced in 1974.

== First N-bit Microprocessor ==
:{| class="wikitable"
! Title !! Year !! Designer !! Processor !! Note
|-
| rowspan="2" | First {{arch|4}} Microprocessor || rowspan="2" | 1971
| [[Intel]] || {{intel|MCS-4/4004|4004}} ||
|-
| [[Fairchild]] || {{fairchild|PPS-25}} ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | First {{arch|8}} Microprocessor || rowspan="2" | 1971/2
| [[Intel]] || {{intel|8008}} ||
|-
| [[TI]] || {{ti|TMX1795}} || Never commercialized.
|-
| First {{arch|16}} Microprocessor || 1973 || [[national semiconductor|National]] || {{national|IMP-16}} ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | First {{arch|32}} Microprocessor || 1979
| [[Bell Labs]] || {{bell|Bellmac-32}} || Never commercialized.
|-
| 1981 || [[Intel]] || {{intel|APX 432}} ||
|-
| First {{arch|64}} Microprocessor || 1991 || [[MIPS Technologies]] || {{mips||R4000}} ||
|}

== First Dual-Core ==
[[File:original COP2440 block diagram.png|300px|right|thumb|Original COP2440 Block Diagram]]
The first known example of a commercial [[dual-core]] microprocessor is the {{national|COP II}} {{national|COP2404}} (and 2440/41/42 variants) announced in 1981 and released the following year. The chip was a complete a single-chip dual-core processor.

== First Neural Processor ==
The first commercial analog [[neural processor]] is the {{intel|ETANN}} introduced by [[Intel]] in 1991/1992. Below is a number of candidates for first commercial (digital/analog):

* Intel {{intel|ETANN}}
* Micro Devices MD-1220
* American NeuraLogix NLX-420

== References ==
{{reflist}}