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Tech HistoryDeep Dive October 3, 2026 12 min read

Altair 8800: The Kit That Turned a Microprocessor into a Platform

A technical history of the Altair 8800, its Intel 8080, switch-and-light front panel, expandable bus, BASIC software, and the hobbyist ecosystem it helped catalyze.

#altair-8800#mits#intel-8080

Tech HistoryDeep Dive October 3, 2026 10 min read

Zilog Z80: Extending the 8080 Without Abandoning Its Software

How the Z80 added registers, addressing modes, bit operations, and interrupt options while preserving a path for 8080-era software and systems.

#zilog-z80#intel-8080#microprocessors