Talk:Programmable Array Logic
The first PALs
I reverted 209.78.18.231 (talk · contribs)'s edits because they are possibly wrong and his other edits are POVed and possibly sneaky vandalism. The one source I found said that MMI had the first not IBM. However, I don't know enough of the topic to make clear call either way. --metta, The Sunborn 19:32, 21 May 2005 (UTC)
- Yes, you don't know enough about the topic. First: IBM but not for sale to the public, Second: Signetics FPLA's, Third: MMI PAL's(tm)
MMI PAL patent, enjoy: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,124,899.WKU.&OS=PN/4,124,899&RS=PN/4,124,899
AND and OR
How come AND and OR gates are so fundamental to PALs and other electronical structures, as it is mentioned in this article? Thanks, Abdull
- It's a Logic Array as opposed to a Memory Array. AND and OR is logic. IBM invented them and has the first patents.
An excellent question.
The AND, OR, and NOT logic gates are fundamental to all digital circuits because any possible digital circuits can be built out of a pile of AND, OR, and NOT gates (if properly interconnected).
That's one of the reason people are so excited when some new technology can implent the otherwise obscure "NOR gate". With a few NOR gates, one can implement AND, OR, and NOT gates. And that's exciting because any possible digital circuit can be built out of AND, OR, and NOT gates. (For example, the Apollo Guidance Computer was built entirely out of NOR gates).
Teachers start with AND, OR, and NOT because they are easier to explain to English-speaking students than NAND and NOR.